


Divortium

by allonsysilvertongue



Series: Consortium [2]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Abernathy Twins, F/M, Hayffie baby fic, Marriage Law Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-05-05 05:57:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 109,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5363984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allonsysilvertongue/pseuds/allonsysilvertongue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Referendum has decreed that the marriage law be abolished and all marriages have now been annulled. Haymitch and Effie must learn to cope with the consequences, and act in the best interest of their children. [Sequel to Consortium]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

**Chapter 1**

Every marriage has a script.

He never raised his hand at her and he never argued with his fist but each time she said something nasty – and she said it often because there was always something she would squabble with him about; the lights he left on when she wanted off, the door to their bedroom that he never bothered closing or the milk that she left out of the fridge when he wanted them put away – he would fix her with a smoldering glare as he clenched his jaw to stop himself from doing something he would regret. She would tell him to 'fuck off' and he would tell her that nobody will love her with that kind of attitude before walking out on her, never to come home until morning the next day, and she would sleep alone in her room just the way she liked it. When the opportunity presented itself, she would take the train away from wherever they were staying at the moment and sometimes, she would call Felix to ask him along because she knew that would only anger her husband more.

That was the script of  _their_  marriage.

But that morning, the norm was broken. Sunlight filtered through the open windows and the smell of fresh earth and wood wafted in from the nearby forest in District Seven. The house was peaceful, so unlike the scene that was always present. There were no biting remarks from Johanna directed at her husband and there were no doors slamming in Gale's wake as he stormed off. Posy wasn't peeking out from the small crack of her bedroom door to see what was going on and Hazelle Hawthorne was not pretending not to hear them fighting  _again._

That kind of morning was rare. It was unlike any others because that morning marked the end of the marriage law. Johanna could already smell her freedom. There was a grin on her face and a glint in Gale's eyes after President Paylor addressed the nation to announce the abolishment of the law. Johanna's bark of laughter filled the room while Gale lifted Posy up in the air to spin her around in circles.

"You're never gonna be forced to marry," he grinned at his little sister.

"It's over," Johanna gave a little whoop.

Gale set Posy down and she quickly ran out of the house to join Vick outside.

"The annulment makes everything easier," Gale said, folding his arms across his chest as he focused once again on the screen. "No need for a divorce proceeding – no hassle – faster that way."

"Knew you couldn't wait to get rid of me," Johanna gibed.

"And we have no children to complicate any custody issues. Guess it's a good thing you went for that botched surgery or we would have little babies dragging us down."

"Whatever," she muttered. "Let it go already."

"You could have died that day if it wasn't for the raid," he retorted. "I nearly lost – "

"What do you care?"

Gale shut his mouth. He glanced around the house, taking everything in for what would be the last time.

"This is your house," he said, and she rolled her eyes at the obvious. "We're not married anymore so I'll take my family back to Two within the next few days."

Had the law not been abolished, Johanna would have followed him back to District Two at the end of the month because that was their arrangement - a compromise they agreed on since neither of them wanted to make the move to another district completely – a month in District Seven and another month in District Two.

Johanna said nothing to him. Her eyes strayed over to his younger siblings playing outside the house with the friends they had made in Seven.

"They can come back here to this house anytime they want," she said, nodding towards where Rory was showing Posy and her friend how to climb a tree. "We – You and I might not have made it work but your family… your family are not strangers. Not anymore."

His lips stretched into an amused smile and for a moment, Johanna was struck with an unwarranted thought – she wondered if she had ever made him smile – but before she could dwell too much on it, she shook her head to clear it away.

"Posy would like that. My mother, too. She's grown fond of you – don't ask me why, I don't see anythin' about you that's likeable," he mumbled and Johanna was about to snap at him when she realize he was attempting to make a joke.

She huffed and snorted.

"Does she? Didn't think I was the kind of wife she wanted for her son."

Still, when the day came for them to leave, Johanna who thought the hardest goodbye was in seeing Ari being taken away found herself unprepared for the waves of emotions and sentimentality.

It was always the little girls, Johanna thought as she shuffled uncomfortably, watching Posy trying hard to control her sobs.

"It's okay, Posy," Johanna patted her back awkwardly when the girl gave her a hug. "We'll see each other again some time."

"Johanna, you are always welcome to our home in Two," Hazelle said, her eyes glistening. Johanna looked everywhere except at Hazelle before settling on their joined hands. "When you married Gale, you became a part of our family, and although I wished that you both had married under better circumstances because who knows, you and him could have made it work then, you will always remain a family, you understand?"

Johanna nodded.

"You two were friendly in Thirteen, are you sure there is no chance of reconciliation? You don't have to make the decision now but perhaps this time, your marriage will work if you give it a try. Learn from each other's mistakes."

She sincerely doubted that very much. Thirteen was different. It was true that they had become somewhat friends during the course of the war but that was all they would ever be. They were not made for a life together.

"We've talked it over, Hazelle. This is what we both want," Johanna said firmly.

The older woman sighed. "Very well, then. But it doesn't change anything. You're still family, you are as good as a daughter to me. I hope you don't forget that."

Hazelle had no cause to worry. Gale's family were not people she would likely forget. She actually liked them, which she found surprising, but they had been nothing but nice to her since she married Gale. There was never a quiet moment in the house with them around. Whenever Gale's siblings visited Seven during school holidays, they filled the silence of the otherwise empty house with their laughter and joke, and when Johanna stayed in Two, they were always there to fill her days. Hazelle always made sure there was food on the table and it had been so long since Johanna had gone home to a good home cooked meal. They couldn't in any way replace her own family whom Snow had murdered but they came close.

For a long, long time, the Victors that she had befriended came the closest to people Johanna considered family. There was Chaff and Haymitch, the two old men who looked out for her as an uncle and a father would. There was Finnick who was like a brother to her which made Haymitch frequently complained about how they were thick as thieves. Annie treated her like a sister and Mags reminded Johanna of the grandmother she lost two years before her name was reaped. They were dysfunctional but they were all she had until she married Gale and became someone's wife, someone's sister in law and someone's daughter in law. It was not something she would forget.

"Hey, Jo, you'll visit us once in a while, right?" Vick asked.

"Yeah, I will," Johanna nodded and offered him a small smile.

"I'll see you in three weeks' time," Gale said, passing by her on the way to the pick-up truck, "at the City for the dissolution certificate."

"Yeah," she agreed. She watched his family entered the vehicle as he arranged their luggage at the back of the truck.

"See you," he nodded at her.

"Wait," she called out to him before he could climb into the driver's seat. "Here, you should have it back. I don't know, pawn it or something."

Johanna slipped the wedding ring from her finger and placed it on the palm of his hand. His mother had chastised him and Gale had bought the rings for them at the last minute, presenting it to her moments before they signed their marriage certificate. Gale looked down at his hand before his fingers closed around the plain wedding band.

"Goodbye, Johanna."

XxX

The ticking of the wall clock in their kitchen felt like an ominous countdown to what seemed like the fracture in their marriage. Effie sat on the floor, hugging Tristan close to her chest as she rocked back and forth.

"I am married, I am married," she whispered. "I am Effie Abernathy, and I am married to Haymitch."

Tristan sat stilled in Effie's arms, his grey eyes wide as he stared up at his father.

"Effie," Haymitch called her name gently. He knelt in front of her as he tried to coax her back to him. "Sweetheart, you're choking your son."

Effie blinked and loosened his hold. Haymitch extracted Tristan out of her arms but the boy remained close, standing next to his father. Ethan ambled over and for once, the child was quiet. He stood next to his mother and stroked her hair, the same way she stroked his hair when he had a stomach ache.

"Keep doing that, tiger," Haymitch nodded and smiled at Ethan. "Hey, hey, sweetheart, look at me."

She did as he asked. Her eyes were filled with anguish and they were red from crying.

"I know it sounds bad," he tried. Comforting people wasn't really his forte but he was learning. The boys always needed comforting and he had gotten some practice. "But crying won't do you any good. You're making the boys worried. We'll talk this out, a'right?"

"They can't do this to me," her voice was a strangled whisper. "They can't make me someone's wife and then take it away from me overnight. They can't."

Haymitch brushed her hair back. "I know you're shock. I am, too. I didn't wake up expectin' this. I never considered this possibility, none of us did. But it's done, Eff, and now we have to learn how to…live with it."

"Do you think people are happy with it?"

"I – I don't know."

"Are  _you_  happy? This is what you wanted."

Haymitch sighed. He sat next to her on the floor, stretching his leg in front of him. This scene was reminiscent of the scene before the twins were born when he had sat next to her on their bathroom floor as she moaned and groaned about her morning sickness.

"The truth?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I'm not happy," he said. He glanced down at her, hoping she understood the meaning behind his words but it didn't seem like she did. Effie leaned her head on his shoulder. The boys came to sit at the other side of him. He tried again. "I wanted the law to end, that's all."

"It is an odd feeling to know that our marriage have been annulled because I still feel married to you," she admitted. "I still feel that nothing has changed but everything has."

"We're still their parents," he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "That'll never change."

"I wasn't prepared for this, mentally or emotionally," she admitted. "I thought… that it would be up to us, that we would have time to work things out after the law ended. This is just shocking. I wonder… I wonder how everyone else is taking it."

"Nobody was prepared for this," he said. His hand never left hers and Effie held on to it, afraid that if she let go, he would leave. "Not once, for the past five years, during any of the appeals did Plutarch or I mention anything about an annulment. I don't know, sweetheart, it feels like a big  _fuck you_  from the Government."

"Haymitch! The children!" she admonished him.

Effie thought about what he said and the more she thought about it, the more it felt like the Government was throwing what they wanted back in their faces – nobody wanted the law, so there was no point in any of them being married.

It wasn't fair. Not all of them wanted an end in their marriage. Not her, and not Plutarch or Fulvia, she was sure. They only wanted the law to end in order to help the people. For weeks leading up to the Referendum, Effie had spent sleepless nights thinking about her choices. She was fixated on the third option; mulling the thought of being married to Haymitch for another ten years over and over again. She wanted the ten years to change his mind about her but with this marriage dissolved so suddenly, all of that was for naught. Now, there was no need for her to try and change his mind about a divorce – it was already done.

But there was something she could change his mind about. Effie frowned, remembering a piece of news she had briefly read about in the papers - marriages could be renewed if the couple so desired.

Her eyes widened. This would mean that there was still a chance for her to persuade him except… Effie wasn't sure if that was right. She wouldn't do right by him if she did that.

 _Effie, we were_ forced _to get married,_  his words echoed in her mind.

Would persuading him be just like forcing him into a marriage? Was it her trying to manipulate him?

Her eyes darted to him but he was oblivious to her internal struggle as he tried to placate Tristan and assure the boy that "mama's alright, just a little a sad."

_Maybe… If I had the choice, it coulda been you I wanna marry._

That was what he had told her. She remembered the entire conversation.

Haymitch had been so angry because he had been backed into a corner with only two ways out; get married or leave the country. That wasn't a choice, it was an ultimatum. It was no surprise to her that having a sense of control over his life and having the freedom to make his own choices was so important to him because for years, the Capitol had been the one controlling him and even after he had helped topple President Snow, the marriage law was no different.

The annulment was no different either now that she thought about it. The annulment was imposed on them.

Effie remembered Exton's words of advice during their sessions, something he repeated to her again and again –  _wherever possible, always try to find silver linings –_  and maybe, maybe this was it. With them no longer bound to each other, if he leaves or if he stays, that would be  _his_  choice. She could ask him to renew their marriage, persuade him as much as she could but at the end of the day, the choice was his, just the way he wanted it. She would know then, once and for all, how he truly felt about her, and how important she was to him. If he leaves, she would finally have her answer and she would learn to move on with her life.

"What's going to happen now?"

"We think of the children – you said so yourself – whatever we do, we have to take into account their interest first and foremost," he said. "We have twenty-one days to inform the Courts of the custody arrangements. There's nothin' we can do 'bout us now – not immediately – and we shouldn't… we shouldn't rush into anything."

He didn't outright reject her. He didn't tell her to leave his house. He said that they shouldn't rush things which meant that he was asking her to prioritise and they would think about what would become of them after they had settled the children.

Effie nodded, burrowing further into him. If time was what he needed, she would give it to him.

They sat together on the floor of their kitchen until the sun had wane. At some point, Tristan had brought his colouring book over from the table to the floor and he sat in between his father's outstretched legs, colouring. Ethan sat on Effie's lap, playing with his mother's necklace absent-mindedly.

"Whatever happens, we're a family, Haymitch. We'll always have them," she whispered, running her fingers through Ethan's long locks.

Haymitch nodded and squeezed her shoulder. She relaxed slightly and tried not to think about what was happening outside. The phone was still unplugged and the world outside was a distance away.

At some point, Katniss came over to check on them. She peered through their kitchen window to see them huddled together, and she couldn't find it in her heart to break that moment especially since she herself knew what the Government had decreed so she left quietly only to stop by the geese pen to feed the fowls that had started to make such a racket at the sight of her.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

For Haymitch, the days that followed passed in a blur.

As the person responsible for putting the Referendum in motion and bringing about this change in Panem, Effie urged Haymitch to make an appearance in Town to appease the crowd and to be there for them in whatever small ways that he could.

He listened to parents thanking him because lo and behold, he had done the impossible; he had saved their children from being a breeding stock for the country. He found this highly disconcerting because for years, these people had accused him of never doing enough to save the children in Twelve. Having sense how he felt, Effie squeezed his hand in support.

People came up to congratulate him on the abolishment of the law and invited him over for drinks at the bar or to Greasy Sae's restaurant, and when he politely decline, some even pressed bottles of liquor onto his hands as a gesture of thanks. He accepted them in a daze, mumbled a thank you and moved on through the crowd until he came upon a small group of people.

He felt the shift in energy and mood almost instantaneously. These people glared at him, unhappy that he had failed to give them advance warning about the possibility of an annulment and having the issue of custody weighing down upon their shoulders.

 _These whole lot of them must have voted yes for the law_ , he decided.

One of them got a little rough and lunged at Effie causing her to lose her footing and toppled back, landing hard on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Haymitch asked as he helped her up. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she brushed the dirt from her blouse. "Please, Haymitch, do not worry. I'm fine, I really am."

"You attacked my wife like that again, I will break your neck," Haymitch glared at the man.

"She ain't your wife," the man spat. "Not anymore. You know why's that? I'll tell you – all these damn voting and look where we're at. I ain't married, you ain't married. You lost me my wife!"

"I don't know what your problem is," Haymitch grumbled. "You  _can_  renew your marriage. That option is available."

"Easy for you to say," the man folded his arms. "Now that our marriage is annulled, she's suddenly gone back on her words and disappeared, ain't she? Promised me she'll stay but she's gone – not interested in being married no more."

"Look, maybe she – "

"The law's the only reason I have a wife - been trying for years and nobody's interested! You took that from me, and now she's gone with my baby. That's  _my_  child, too. She promised to stay for the baby. She promised."

"We're sorry to hear that," Effie interjected.

Haymitch had nothing to offer the man especially since he had tried to harm Effie. Effie, on the other hand, gave the man a sympathetic look before hurrying after her husband.

"She probably realised she's free now and took off," Effie mused.

Haymitch threw her a sharp look, the gears turning in his head.

"Why are you staring at me?" Effie asked, dabbing the handkerchief to the small cut on her elbow. "Quickly now, you are scheduled for an interview!"

At Plutarch's behest, Haymitch had consented to an interview and he was regretting it immensely because after all that had happened, he wanted nothing more than to cancel it.

"Do try to smile, Haymitch," Effie urged as she led him over to where Peeta was waiting at entrance to the Community Centre. "I know what happened just now has made you sour but please put a little smile."

"Hang on," Peeta grabbed his arm. "Effie told me what happened – here," he scribbled something on the paper Effie and him had made Haymitch go through the day before, "I've added the bit to say that you knew nothing about the annulment. Better just to get that out of the way."

"Playing mentor, are we?"

"We're still a team, right?" Peeta shrugged and smiled.

In the interview which was aired live throughout the country, Haymitch took the time to thank the people of Panem for their support and for the desirable outcome of the Referendum. He stressed that the abolishment of the law would not have been possible without their votes and wished them well for their future. Just as Peeta had written, he expressed his shock at the Council's move in dissolving all marriages under the law and reiterated the fact that neither he nor Plutarch had any inkling the Council intended for it to be in place at all.

As the interview was winding down to an end, Haymitch froze when he was asked about what will become of his family. Before he agreed to the interview, Plutarch had given his word that no questions pertaining to his family would form part of the interview. On hindsight, Haymitch probably should have expected that the lady would not stick to the script. She was testing the waters and Haymitch did not like it one bit.

"We're working things out," Haymitch deflected the question.

"Mr. and Mrs. Heavensbee have announced that they will be renewing their marriage," the interviewer asked, pushing her luck. "And I'm sure viewers all over are curious to know if you will be, too."

"I've heard about Plutarch," Haymitch nodded, a strain smile on his lips. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Peeta throwing worried glances at the interviewer. "He called to inform me of that himself."

Effie and Haymitch along with their two sons had been invited to Plutarch's and Fulvia's wedding, which made no sense to Haymitch whatsoever why there was even a need for another wedding ceremony.

"Since the marriage certificate we were under isn't valid anymore and we're signing a new one, it will be just like getting married again! Come now, Haymitch, everyone loves a good wedding party," Plutarch said jovially, and Haymitch couldn't help but think that their second wedding would be just as grand as their first.

"I don't see the need – complete waste of resources."

"Never mind that," Plutarch waved his concerns away. "It will not be anytime soon anyway. We will be renewing our marriage first, of course, but the wedding will take place at a later time. Althea is to be the ring bearer but you've seen my daughter, Haymitch, she's just bumbling around on those short feet right now. The wedding will be a disaster! We need some time to let her grow a little more. A few months give or take."

Unless it was about business, a mindless chat with Plutarch was always painful and Haymitch was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Tragic business this annulment," Plutarch continued. "Very shocking. Fulvia felt the same. It's too sudden. It felt… It came out of nowhere. We can't help but think of Effie. Don't get me wrong, Haymitch, but you have always wanted out so we didn't think it was an issue for you. But Effie… Spare a thought for that poor woman, yes?"

"Don't lecture me, Plutarch," Haymitch growled.

"You and Effie can't be any different than Fulvia and I. We thought there was no sense in changing anything. My wife and I understand each other well. We've known each other and worked together for years, same like you and Effie. We're comfortable with each other and that's what is important, don't you think? Effie is not so bad herself, is she?"

"I wasn't asking for your – "

"Well, anyway, now that we have Althea, Fulvia thought it made sense to renew the marriage, and personally, I am in agreement with her. I have no objections whatsoever. We don't have to renew it, of course, but you know what it's like here in the City. Fulvia's parents will never agree to us just staying together – they're highly old fashion that way – it is not proper," Plutarch breathed into the receiver. "If the both of you are separating, I supposed you have worked out the custody arrangements? You each get one boy? It sounds terrible really to separate the boys. I hope that wasn't the plan and as your long-time friend, I really don't want to see you and Effie separated. We all deserve to be happy, Haymitch."

"Fulvia has parents?"

He had never heard Plutarch mentioned anything about his in-laws and he found that nugget of information interesting partly so that he didn't have to think about the rest of what Plutarch had just said especially about separating his children. He would never do that.

"You decided to focus on that of all things?" Plutarch huffed and went straight to the point this time. "What have you and Effie decided?"

"She's staying," he snapped in irritation.

Effie had not decided anything and he had not spoken to her about staying in Twelve. But since she had been the one to tell him that she didn't want to lose him, he assumed that as long as he did not say anything, she would stay. It was presumptuous. He wanted her to stay but he was finding it difficult to tell her the same.

He should have told her how he felt that morning on the kitchen floor. He should have but he didn't, and he knew why. He had been shocked by the news and when that had passed, he was wary and apprehensive. At the precise moment when it should have mattered most, Haymitch thought that what he felt seemed so pointless. He had spent the entire night internalising his thoughts and tentatively admitting to himself the truth for what he felt for Effie, and he barely had time to come to terms with a realisation so huge when the annulment hit him in the face.

It felt like a punch in the gut. Those thoughts swirling in his mind where his feelings for Effie was concern was so vulnerable in the first place that having his marriage dissolved had shaken him to the core. So he kept quiet about how he felt.

He had always feared losing what was his, and just as soon as he had admitted that he wanted not only his children but Effie too, it was taken away from him. It certainly felt that way. His thoughts went careening back into the past and how Snow had robbed everything from him. It had scarred him and he would forever be cautious of being scarred the same way again.

"You look deep in thoughts," Effie commented, bringing him back to the present. "Are you alright, dear?"

"Fine," he nodded, turning the knob and opening their front door.

Ethan and Tristan came running out from their sitting room to jump into their father's arms. Katniss pretended to be relieved that her babysitting duties were over and jokingly told them how the boys were a handful.

"Come now, darlings, your father is exhausted. Let him rest," Effie took the boys by their hands and led them away. "What shall we do this afternoon? Shall we read? Shall we learn our ABCs?"

He leaned against the doorframe and watched them until they disappear into the boys' room. Haymitch let out a sigh.

On the surface, nothing in this house had changed. They both still sleep in the same bed and they still work together to look after their children but there was a thin layer of tension settling in between them that neither acknowledged. Twice he had tried to tell her how he felt but the words kept getting stuck in his throat. He wasn't one to make emotional declaration and it frustrated him to no end.

He was in such a foul mood that when there was a knock on his front door one evening, he had shouted at the person to leave his property.

"If you're a reporter looking for an interview, I have none to give," he raised his voice. "And under the President's order, you guys ain't permitted at the Village anyway. The ban's still in place. Get out of here or I'll have you reported!"

"Charming," the voice drawled. "Open the door, handsome, this isn't the way you treat family."

"What are you doing here?"

"Visiting," Felix grinned, flashing the perfect row of white teeth when Haymitch yanked the door open. He greeted Haymitch warmly, envelope Effie in a tight hug and handed the boys two huge bags containing toys and more clothes. "That vest is very expensive," he knelt in front of Ethan, "so let your mother hang them up in your wardrobe properly. You can wear them when your parents get married again! That's why I bought it!"

The temperature in the house plummeted to an icy cold. Effie stilled before she recovered and plastered a smile on her face, thanking Felix for the gifts. She hurried away to stow the presents.

"What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?" Felix frowned, turning to Haymitch.

"How's Jo?" Haymitch asked instead.

"She's in Four, called me from Annie's house. She sounds happy."

"That's good to know but what of her husband?" Effie asked when she returned.

"He's gone back to District Two. They're waiting to collect their dissolution certificate once the three weeks is up which is in… two days. That reminds me; have you informed the Courts on the children's custody?"

Haymitch and Effie exchanged a glance.

"Not yet," she answered.

"Not yet? What are you waiting for? The deadline is in two days! You know what will happen if you don't. They're going to assume that there's no resolution and – "

"I know what will happen," Haymitch cut him off. "We planned to have it all done in one day to save us the time – inform the Courts of our custody arrangements and collect our certificates at the same time."

"Why would you collect your certificate? Are you not – "

"You still have to collect them, Felix, whether or not the marriage will be renewed," Effie answered.

"But will it be renewed?"

"Not right now," Effie exhaled. "The children… They're more important."

XxX

The night was quiet except for the owl hooting in the distance and the leaves rustling on the tree branches. The boys were asleep and Effie was curled on the sofa watching a mindless late night show.

On the front porch, Haymitch observed her quietly through the window. It was hard to wrap his head around the fact that the woman with a throw blanket lying languidly on his sofa was no longer his spouse. He had learnt to see her as his wife. It was difficult to see her as he had seen her before; a colleague and just another woman.

It was at that moment that Felix walked out to the porch with a drink in hand and caught him staring.

"Do you love her?" he asked without much preamble, dropping into the empty seat.

Haymitch tore his gaze away from Effie to look at him.

"Doesn't concern you, does it?"

"Ah, that's where you're wrong, handsome," Felix grinned. "She's my cousin; nay, she's more like a sister to me, so of course it concerns me."

Haymitch brought the drink to his lips, turning his back to the window to block Effie out.

"So?" the young man prompted.

"When the law ended, I wasn't… I wasn't going to divorce her," Haymitch stared into the distance. He didn't know why he was even telling Felix but he had never admitted that to anyone before. Nobody had ever asked if he loved his wife, only Felix. "I was going to let her stay."

Felix sputtered, staring up at Haymitch. "Are you… Hang on a minute, are you serious about this?" his eyes widened in surprise. "Does Effie know? Because she told me once when I took her to Four that the plan was for you two to go your separate ways. I always hope that will change."

Haymitch shook his head.

"She doesn't. It was only… It was somethin' I decided the night before the law was dissolved. If anything happen, they will stay here with me."

"But the next day, the Council annulled your marriage and… you're having second thoughts now?"

"Second thoughts?" Haymitch frowned. "No. Whatever I decided didn't matter 'cause someone up in the chain of command will make the decisions for me regardless."

"'Course it matters," Felix inched towards the edge of his seat.

"She's here, ain't she? She's still staying, she hasn't left and I'm not chasing her out. She don't have to worry 'bout that."

"But she doesn't know where she stands with you. She doesn't know what she means to you, does she? You need to be clear with her," Felix implored. "If you want her, then I don't see what's stopping you from renewing your marriage. Nothing'll change – it'll be just like it has always been and the boundaries will be clear – you're her husband and she's your wife."

Haymitch scoffed and rubbed his jaw. "If Effie wanted it, Felix, she would have brought it up already. Not once since we read about the law in the news had she talked to me about it. Fact that she hasn't made me think… Maybe she changed her mind."

_"_ _She probably realised she's free now and took off."_

Effie had said that about the man whose wife left him. The thought had crossed her mind and it made him wonder if she saw their situation the same way, and if she -

"Changed her – she wouldn't change her mind about something like that. She loves you! You clearly love her. Don't you? I don't understand what -" Felix gave an undignified growl and tugged on his carefully styled hair. Haymitch watched as a lock of dark hair flopped down Felix's forehead be he swept it away impatiently. "You both frustrate me!"

"I consider my duty fully discharged for the night," Haymitch said.

"I don't understand how your mind works or what goes on in your head."

"I'd prefer it if it stays that way," Haymitch took a gulp of whiskey, feeling the liquid burnt down his throat. He saw the look of annoyance crossed Felix's face and when the young man opened his mouth to argue, Haymitch raised a hand, palm facing outwards to stop him. "I sense you're going to be a pain. Fine, you want to know what I'm thinking? I'm thinkin' that she's free from me and I'm thinkin' that maybe she already has a plan in mind about what she wanna do with her life now. If she walks away, I ain't gonna stop her. She's probably right to do so."

Felix looked positively incensed when he heard that.

"You're insane. You run after her and you stop her! Do you not watch movies the Capitol made while you were mentor? Do you not learn from it? See what the guy does in situation like this?"

"Unfortunately, my life isn't an art form. Should have known you're the romantic in the family," Haymitch's lips stretched into a mocking grin before he heaved a breath. "I can't decide her life for her. I ain't nothing like your brother."

"That's why you should  _talk_  about it. That's why people communicate in a relationship. You don't make decisions for her and she don't make decisions for you," Felix exclaimed in an exasperated tone that he could barely conceal. "Tell her you want her to stay. It's not that difficult. I don't think it is even necessary to have your marriage renewed. If you truly want her here then nothing else should matter. Just live together with your sons. Sure our aunts back in the City will most likely frown upon that, talk behind her back but that's nothing new and to be frank, we cares about all those old hags anyway. They are  _always_  gossiping, always finding faults with Effie and I, and they were positively revolting when Eirene committed suicide; the only one that's perfect to them is Elias."

If Felix was bitter about it, he did not let it show.

"It was easier to say that she didn't want a divorce while we were married," Haymitch shrugged. "She probably didn't want to consider what her life would be if we got a divorce; a "divorcee" doesn't sound nice to the ear, does it? But that's changed now, hasn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if she's finally realising what this mean. It's a whole new life ahead for her - a life without me - and why would any woman in her right mind not want that? A door just opened for her."

"Excuse me, good sir," Felix stared at him, "but did you miss the part where I said that she loves you?"

"See," Haymitch tipped the mouth of his bottle in Felix's directions, "that's the problem right there. What if Effie's just used to havin' me around? And she thinks she's in love with me when in fact, she's just used to this," he gestured towards their house. "I didn't treat her nice since the day I met her - spilled my drink on her dress – she ever told you that? She thinks it was an accident but it wasn't."

"When I learn about why she's an escort, I respected her for what she was trying to do for her sister. I tolerated her and from the very first day we got married, all I've been trying to do was to end it, to get away from her. Love is a dangerous thing, Felix. What would you know? You live your life protected all these while. Nothin' good will come out of me loving her. She'll probably end up dead, as dead my family and my girl. She didn't tell you how a man attacked her while we were in Town today, did she? He was mad at me but, of course, he wasn't gonna attack me – he attacked her instead."

Haymitch didn't know if he loved his girl but he remembered wanting to spend every waking moment with her, exploring things he wasn't allowed to explore before. He remembered how his mind had shattered, the black hole in his chest continuously expanding as he world slowly fell apart when he saw their bodies. The pain had dulled but it came back right at this moment. He felt it so acutely and he didn't want to feel as if someone had ripped his insides out again.

"The past is a dangerous thing," Felix rebuked, his tone scornful. "It does nothing but remind you of your mistakes and increases whatever sense of guilt you have. What matters is  _now_  and what happens next. You can't tell me that you honestly believe whatever you have just told me. It's okay to feel scared, everyone's scared of something but you shouldn't let it ruin your life, that's dumb."

Haymitch shrugged. He never expected to be rebuked about living in the past from Felix of all people but that shouldn't surprise him. Felix was the kind of person who takes the day as it is and lives by it without much thought for yesterday.

"If she leaves, I say, good for her," he raised his drink in a mock salute.

"I do apologise for what I am about to say but you are a stupid,  _stupid_  man, Haymitch Abernathy. And I know what this is," Felix went on, glaring at him. "I think you have never told her how you felt because you're scared that if she's free now, she'll leave and this time, it wasn't because… Look I don't really know the details of your past, but if she leaves this time, it wasn't because some President ordered her gone. No, this time, if she leaves, it's because she didn't want you and that thought scares you. You are annoying me, I'll have you know, because this is incredibly stupid. Tell me I'm right."

"How honest of you."

"I like you, Haymitch," Felix looked in dead in the eye. "I think you're good for Effie. You haven't realise it yet, probably, but I know you love her, same way you love those children. But Effie doesn't deserve someone who questions the way she feels. I know my cousin, and I know she's not like that. If she loves you then her feelings are true but until you can see that for yourself, perhaps it is in her best interest to return with me to the City."

His grip on the neck of the bottle tightened and Haymitch's head snapped up to pierce Felix with a glare. He pushed himself up, the chair toppling back in his wake.

"Now who's making decisions for her? You listen here – "

"No, you listen to me," Felix stood his ground which was impressive. Felix was tall and scrawny while Haymitch had a few pounds on him, and even with his age, Haymitch could probably take him down. "It's not permanent but I just want  _you_  to be absolutely certain of what  _you_  want and how you feel for her. If you desire her to be with you then I want to know that's what you really want. Effie's gone through enough. You should know that. If she's not the woman you want and if alone is how you wish to spend your life then having her here will only make it worse."

Haymitch clenched his fingers into a fist, breathing heavily through his nose.

"There are terrible things that could happen to people and pining for a man who does not want her is one of those. I do not wish that upon my worse enemies, least of all my cousin. I'm not… I'm not the bad guy here," Felix's eyes softened and he looked pleadingly at Haymitch, seeking his understanding. "I'm trying not to be one. I hate that you're doubting your own feelings and Effie's too, but my granddad used to say that "it's doubt that drives a man onwards" so maybe you should take this time to work through whatever issues that you have to settle with yourself and find the answers that you need to move forward, hopefully to something better."

"You think I have issues," Haymitch stated.

"Yes. I think you do," Felix nodded. "I'm sorry. I really am. But I think the both of you could use with some time away from each other."

"At the end of the day, it's still up to her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "It's doubt that drives a man onward" is from Aleph by Paulo Coelho.
> 
> Somewhere in this chapter, you're all Felix, right? About how Haymitch is being a little frustrating? Please don't hate Felix, he only meant to do good.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The male goose spread its wings, flapping it aggressively. It was enough of a sign for Haymitch to know that Effie was approaching. Effie had never liked Ethan's favourite goose, claiming the fowl to be loud, obnoxious and rude, and it seemed to have returned Effie's sentiment in kind. The sight of the only female inhabitant in the house would send it squawking loudly, unintentionally acting as an alarm to alert both Ethan and Haymitch to Effie's presence. It gave them just enough time to escape the woman, if need be.

Haymitch smirked and turned his head slightly, spying Effie coming out the back door towards him.

"Oh, be quiet will you, Dasher," Effie snapped at the bird.

"Didn't come out here to feed them - that's for sure," said Haymitch.

"If you want some company while you feed the geese, I will get Ethan for you. Unfortunately, he is occupied making a mess in his room with his Uncle Felix. I came out here for you," Effie told him, coming to a stand next to her husband.

Their hands brushed against each other but she did not reach out for him. He did - lacing their fingers together - and Effie exhaled, a small smile playing on her lips.

"There are too many of them. You should consider selling some to the market in town. They will sell for a good price."

There was nothing more terrifying than being confronted by an angry goose. Effie jumped behind Haymitch, using him as a protective shield when the male goose reared back, spreading its wing and bringing itself up to its full height.

"Think you might have offended him," Haymitch chuckled. "What are you gonna tell your boy when he wakes up one morning, do a head count only to find that some of his geese are missing? That's a conversation that  _you'll_  have with him, not me."

"Shouldn't have taught him how to count at this age," Effie joked.

"Said you were lookin' for me – something you wanted?"

Effie stood under the blue sky, hair blowing in the wind before she tied them into a messy chignon, squinting up at Haymitch.

"I like your hair down," he told her nonchalantly.

She smiled and touched his arm, getting his attention. "I wanted to talk. We  _need_  to talk," her thumb stroked his inner arm in a calming gesture. "We have to… talk about us, about what we're going to do. I know you want to put this off, that we shouldn't rush into anything but I, at least, need to know where we're headed. You can grant me that, at the very least, can you, Haymitch?"

"Felix talked to you?"

"He did," Effie nodded. "But before that… what did you and Felix talked about last night? Something happened, didn't it?"

Haymitch paused. "You're curious."

"I am curious. He… Felix thinks that I should move back to my apartment. He suggested that we need some time apart to think about what we both want. Why did he say that, Haymitch? It came out of the blue, so sudden and so unexpected. It left me to wonder if something happened yesterday that I should know about."

"Nothin' happened. We were just drinking and we got to talking."

"You didn't… You didn't ask him to take me away from here, did you?"

There was a hint of hurt in her voice that made Haymitch turn to look at her.

"'Course I didn't," he said gruffly. "You can stay - you know that."

Her hand went to the ring on her finger, turning it mindlessly as she always did when she was anxious or thinking deeply about something.

"But is that what  _you_  want – for me to stay?"

Haymitch inhaled the morning air and rubbed the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. He took his time hanging the bucket of food on the peg, wiping his hands on his shirt before walking back to where Effie was standing, waiting for him.

"Come on, walk with me," he guided her by the elbow round their house towards their main gate. Effie glanced back at the house, no doubt thinking about the children. "They'll be fine – Felix's there. We won't go far."

They walked hand in hand down the main pathway, passed Peeta's house.

"You remember that mornin' before the law's dissolved? That Sunday we were in bed together," he said, jogging her memory. "Remember what I told you?"

Haymitch stepped in front of her and brushed his thumb over cheek, prompting her to press her face against the palm of his hand. He missed her. It was odd how they could be living together and yet felt far apart. The past few weeks had taken its toll on them without them being aware of it.

"I do," she nodded.

"I said I wanted you," he tore his gaze away, suddenly finding his worn out boots very interesting. "Think you misunderstood what I meant that morning."

Effie cocked her head to the side, her brows furrowed as her mind went back to that morning. She placed a finger under his chin tilting his head up so that he was looking at her.

"You want… You want me to stay?" there was enough hesitation in her voice to let him know that she was trying not to be hopeful but there was a small smile on her lips.

"Yeah," he nodded, relieved. "You're the mother of my children, sweetheart. If you want, you can stay here. I want you to."

The smile slid off her face and Effie stepped back from him. Haymitch blinked, unsure if he had said something wrong.

"Yes," she whispered, "yes, of course, the mother of your children…Is that… Is that all I am to you? Is that all I'll ever be in your eyes?"

"Effie?"

"If I stay…" she trailed off, walking ahead until she reached the small fountain in the middle of the village. Haymitch followed, walking behind her to give her some space. He didn't want to crowd her, not when he was unsure about what she was thinking.

Effie stared at her reflection in the fountain, her hand fluttered up to fleetingly touch the water cascading from one level down to the other. She turned around.

"You're asking me to stay for the children, for their sake," she stated. "Of course that's what you'll ask of me. Don't I mean anything more?"

The last words came out in a whisper, as if she was talking to herself but Haymitch heard it all the same.

"We've known each other for years, sweetheart, 'course we mean something."

"Haymitch," she looked straight at him, lips pinched into a line. Her blue eyes were bright and alert. Her stance told him that she was done skirting through the subject and they were going to resolve whatever that needs to be talked about. "I have seen for myself how miserable people are when they stay together for the sake of their children. Felix's and Elias' parents are an example of those people. It became a game of who could destroy the other first – you can ask Felix, he's right there in our house. Ask him about his parents. He must have been thinking about them when he talked to us about truly knowing what we want."

"I don't want us to renew our marriage on that account," Effie continued and when she saw the stricken look on his face, she added, " _if_  we decide to renew our marriage, that is. It's not something pressing at the moment; we don't have to renew it. We can just stay together and I will stay with you as long as I know that it is for the right reason."

"Aren't the children a right enough reason?" he asked. There was a slight anger bubbling in his chest which he buried deep inside. She wanted to talk and they would talk without the need for him, or for any of them to get angry. "Aren't they good enough for you to stay? I know you're free and you can leave, do whatever you want but I'm saying… I'm asking you to stay."

"For them?" she asked again. "Our children are everything, Haymitch, but did you hear yourself?  _'You're free, you can leave, you can do whatever you want'_. I want to be here with you and the boys. You're what I want but the problem is you. You're always going to wonder if I will walk away now that we're not married. You're going to wonder if you should have let me go and if asking me to stay is a mistake because you're going to keep asking yourself if I could have found my happiness elsewhere if you had not asked me to stay. You are going to doubt yourself and you're going to doubt me at every turn. You'll doubt my feelings for you and that is only going to get worse if I stay because of the children. I can't live like this, Haymitch."

Effie heaved a breath after that speech. Haymitch stared at her, the gears in his mind turning as he quickly tried to grasp what she was saying.

"You will think it's selfish of me but… I should think about myself, too. I should take into account about what is good for me, about what is emotionally healthy for me and I cannot… can't have you questioning my feelings for you at every turn. I can't watch you going back and forth about what you want either. You need to be sure."

"No, no," he said in a hurry, grabbing her arm only to promptly release it. Haymitch ran his hand over his hair. "I know what – I don't want us making mistakes, sweetheart. That's why I said we shouldn't rush into makin' decisions. I don't wanna force you into anything but it's stupid to even think that – you won't do anything that you don't wanna do – you're not that kind of woman. I get it if you walk away but I'm just thinking 'bout the children."

Effie held his gaze. There was a flicker determination in her eyes and what she asked him next stunned him into silence. He wondered how long she had wanted to ask that question from him.

"Do you love me?"

"Effie…"

Haymitch swallowed, clenching and unclenching his fist. He had said those words to Myra moments before he left for his Victory Tour even though he wasn't sure if it was love that he felt for her. He was convinced that after he survived the arena, he had been given a second chance and he had blurted it out to her just before he boarded the train to Eleven. When he returned, she was dead. At times, he wondered if she would still be alive if he hadn't said those words but he knew better – they were inseparable and the Capitol would have known it, too.

But he had said the same to Effie the night before the law was abolished. Except she had been asleep that night and it carried no repercussions. It felt like a lifetime ago. The cover of the night made it feel safe, lulled him into a state that made him talk about things he would otherwise not have said before.

She was awake now. He could tell her. He  _should_  tell her.

"Sweetheart, you know that I'll do anything to make sure you and the boys are safe."

"I'm very aware of that," she smiled faintly. "But it's not the same. In the hospital after the twins were born, I told you that I don't expect you to return my feelings. I'm afraid that's no longer true. I'm only human and I want more than anything else for someone to love me. I want  _you_  to love me," she admitted, finally telling him the very thing that she had guarded close to her heart. "I just… I can't stay here with you and live my life by your side for the sake of the children. I can't do that when all you see me is – "

"Listen to me, Effie," he grabbed her arm again, the urgency swell in his chest. "Listen, listen – I love you."

The words tumbled out of his lips in a rush and it sounded forced. It sounded insincere even to his ears. Haymitch visibly cringed at that, quietly berating himself. Effie didn't deserve that. He could have done better but she took his flinch to mean differently.

The silence that fell around them right after that was deafening and suffocating. Haymitch cleared his throat.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked in a strangled whisper, stepping away from him. "Why – Why are you trying to hurt me so?"

His eyes widened in surprise.  _She doesn't believe me._

"I'm not trying to hurt you, sweetheart."

"Are you just saying that because… You have no idea how I longed to hear you say those words to me," she told him. Her voice was surprisingly steady but the lone tear that spilled down her cheek which she wiped away hastily told him what she was truly feeling inside. "Now that you've finally said it, it feels… It feels too much as if I have forced your hand. Are your feelings true or are you merely saying that for the sake of it - so that I will stay for the children?"

"I'm not trying to manipulate you into stayin', if that's what you're saying," he told her.

Haymitch made no move to convince her. What was the point? He had told her at the wrong moment, in the wrong manner and if he wanted her to believe him, he would have to find another way. His head wasn't in the right place.

Effie bit her lower lip, nodding to let him know that she understood about not being manipulated.

"I think Felix's right," she began. "We could both use the time away from each other to think about what we truly want and how we truly feel for each other. I want that for us – we need it. We shouldn't make the decision to stay just for the children. It's true that they need us and it's better if we raise them together but that's not the only reason to be together. I have seen for myself what happened to people who remained by each other's side simply for their children. It is a destructive and toxic relationship, Haymitch."

He rubbed his face, pressing a finger against his temple. He could hear one of the boys' laughter coming from the house. He turned to look.

"This isn't the end," she reached out for him, brushing stray strands of his dark hair back from his face. Haymitch dragged his eyes to focus on her. "It's far from the end. I'm not walking away. We're not leaving each other. We just need some space, some perspective. We can work through this, Haymitch. I believe in us."

"Yeah," he rasped.

"Some time away will be good. It'll clear out head and help us to think about what's best for us, for Tristan and Ethan. They say… They say absence makes the heart grow fonder," she smiled, "and we've never truly been apart during this five years. Perhaps we're crowding each other. It's a good time to take a short break, to breathe."

Haymitch knew she was right. People in Twelve hardly ever got through a divorce; they would separate for a period of time and ultimately get back. But those who did so only for their children, they were miserable and bitter people.

His parents were miserable and bitter people. All these years, he had never told Effie much about his parents' marriage because there was nothing much to say, nothing he was proud of. His mother put a smile on her face for him and his brother. His father became verbally abusive and for years, Haymitch had never understood how or why they were even married. It was only when he grew older that he knew it was all for him and for Lief, and in that regards he did respect them for trying to put their act together for their children.

"Just for a short while," he brushed her cheek. "Like when I sent you to Four a few year ago. We were arguing then and Felix took you for a vacation… It gave us time to clear our heads – that was good, ain't it?"

"It was," she agreed, resting her head against his chest.

Haymitch's arms circled around her, pressing her closer to him.

"That time away from each other, it helped us. It did," Effie said firmly.

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded, his chest rumbled as he spoke.

"Will you kiss me, Haymitch?"

This time, he hesitated. Effie looked up.

"Not one of those goodbye kiss, is it?" he asked gruffly.

"No," she laughed. "No, it's a promise. Kiss me and promise me that we  _will_  get through this."

Haymitch dipped his head and captured her lips, framing her face in his hands. The sun shone down on them, bright with the promise of a better future.  _We'll come out of this together_ , he thought fiercely. Some time away was all that they need; nothing more. His fingers brushed against the nape of her neck, releasing her hair from the messy knot. The breeze whipped it into his face and he sputtered, spitting strands of her hair that got caught in his mouth.

"You still like me with my hair down?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Tristan was asleep on his father's lap with his upper body slumped against Haymitch's chest. In his hand was the crayon he had been using, slack in his grip. The colouring book slipped from his hold and landed on to the floor, catching Effie's attention.

"He's asleep," she told Haymitch, as she bent forward to retrieve the book.

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded.

He pried the crayon from his son's finger and handed it over to Effie before shifting the dead weight until Tristan was fully settled on him with his head on the crook of his father's elbow and his legs across Haymitch's lap.

Ever since he was an infant, Tristan had always been a light sleeper and as his father moved him, it jolted him awake.

"Can we go?" Tristan asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Not yet. It's gonna take a while more and then we can get off the train. Go back to sleep. When you wake up, we'll be at the City," he said. "Or do you wanna join Ethan and your Uncle Felix? They're walking 'round the train – exploring."

The young boy turned sideways, pressing his face on his father's shirt. "Nope. I wanna stay here with you."

Haymitch patted his thigh absent-mindedly, lulling the boy back to sleep. He buried his nose in his son's hair, feeling the soft curls and inhaling the smell of citrus from his shampoo.  _Orange-mango smoothie,_  he recalled the label on the shampoo bottle out of the blue.

He snorted.

"What are you thinking?" Effie asked.

"How's a shampoo also a smoothie? Ain't that some kind of fancy drink?" he lifted his eyes to look at Effie. " _Burst of mango tango?'_  Come on."

Effie's brows furrowed in confusion at how random it was. "You're… You're thinking of the children's shampoo?"

"Better than sitting here thinking 'bout what's gonna happen."

There was something in the way he said it that made Effie move from her seat to take a place next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and almost by second nature Haymitch lifted his arm and slung it across the back of the seat. They remained that way until Ethan and Felix returned. Ethan's excited chatter - his words jumbling into one another - filled the silence in the train car.

It wasn't long before the train finally reached the Capitol and it took a few quiet words with Tristan before he was willing to part from his parents to follow Ethan and Felix back to Effie's apartment, leaving Effie and Haymitch to make their way over to the Family and Justice Building.

XxX

The Family and Justice Building was a two story building located at the central area of the Capitol. Ever since the abolishment of the law, it was an unusually busy place. Next to it was the Registry of Marriages.

There were workers outside the two buildings, trying to maintain some order and provide assistance to the people. Signs had been erected, directing people on what to do and where to go.

Haymitch ignored those workers and went straight to a signboard.

"We should collect the Dissolution Certificate before making custody arrangements," he informed Effie after reading one of those signs. "Come on."

Effie's eyes darted around the crowd as she clutched the file containing their marriage certificate and the children's birth certificates close to her chest. Haymitch laid a gentle hand on the small of her back.

"It's that way," he guided her.

"Mr. Abernathy! Sir!"

Haymitch turned at the sound of his name. He saw a young woman weaving through the crowd, pushing a baby stroller and waving in his direction.

"Emily," he nodded and raised his hand in greeting.

She came to stop in front of them, a smile on her face. Emily seemed genuinely happy to see them.

"How are you, dear?" Effie asked and embraced her. "Oh! Look how big your child has grown!"

"It's so good to see you again, Mrs. Abernathy! Never thought I'd bump into you here. What are the odds? Here in the city of all places!"

"I do have this feeling that we may cross paths with some familiar faces here now that there are urgent businesses to attend to after the law," Effie said.

"Oh, I do believe you would. I've met some of my friends here, too. It made waiting for my turn more bearable. There's a long wait ahead, just be prepare!" Emily warned. She addressed Haymitch with a teasing grin, "are you still lurkin' in the library, sir? I do miss that place but I shall see it soon, I hope. I'm gonna be back in Twelve for good once all my affairs are settled."

Haymitch raised a shoulder in a shrug.

"He has no need for the library now that the law's been abolished!" Effie laughed. "You will be returning to Twelve, you say? I'm assuming you will not be renewing your marriage?"

"Oh, I will," she nodded enthusiastically. "I mean, I have. My husband and I, we've just signed our new marriage certificate at the Registry. I'll be movin' back to Twelve with my husband – that was my only request when we decided to renew. He's more than happy to comply."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm really happy that things worked out for you, Emily."

"Thank you," she smiled. "I sure hope it worked out for you, too. I'd love to stay and chat, Mrs. Abernathy, but I'm sure you have to be somewhere and I don't wanna keep you from it. I'll see you back home soon. I'm looking forward to meeting your twins!"

"I still remember when she turned eighteen, how terrified she was! It's good to know that she'll be okay," Effie remarked as Haymitch steered her towards one of the buildings and into the designated area.

Just as they had been told, the wait for their turn took a while and Haymitch hated waiting. By the end of the first hour, he was growing increasingly impatient.

"It'll be out turn soon. Only three more ahead of us," she tried to placate him. Effie rested her hand on top of his on his knee and slowly, Haymitch began to relax.

XxX

Just as easily as they were married, they were also easily "unmarried". It was a strange concept to have their marriage reversed and dissolved as if it had never happened before; how easily the power above them could do that.

The Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage lay cold on the table, the ink still drying from where they had just signed at the bottom of the paper. Effie jumped slightly when the Registrar stamped the certificate with a wax seal, making it an official document.

Copies were made and the original was handed over to them but when the Registrar held out his hand in exchange for their marriage certificate in return, Effie hesitated.

"We'll keep it," Effie informed him.

"There is no need for that. Your marriage document is invalid."

"We'll keep it," she insisted.

"Effs, there's no reason for you to – "

"Perhaps not, but all the same,  _I_  wish to keep it, Haymitch. Will that be a problem?"

"Not a problem," the Registrar sighed, waving Effie off. "Do as you will, Miss Trinket. That is all, you are free to leave."

Haymitch noticed the way Effie flinched at the use of her maiden name and by instinct, his hand came up to reach out for her only to fall back uselessly to his side. There was nothing to say. Effie lifted her chin, smiled at the man and thanked him before making her way to the door.

"It's the Family and Justice Building next, is it not? To settle the custody?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded, opening the door for her.

That was another long wait for them. A quick check on his watch showed him that it was late in the afternoon and nearing the close of the business day. Haymitch tapped his fingers on his knees, worried that they might be told to return the next day.

With half an hour to go, they were finally called in. Haymitch waved Effie in impatiently as she scrambled to arrange the papers that were strewn on the empty seat next to her.

"You've gone through the documents countless times. They're in order," he grumbled. "Quickly."

"Good evening," the Registrar greeted. It was a woman this time with greying hair tied into a neat bun. She beckoned them over to take a seat. "May I have the paper works - the Proposed or the Agreed Parenting plan - whichever you have decided on, please?"

When Effie slid the green form of the Agreed Parenting Plan which they had filled up earlier instead of the blue one that was the Proposed Parenting Plan, Haymitch could see the Registrar visibly relax.

"I see that you have both agreed on joint custody."

"Yes," they answered in unison.

"While the care and control of both children," she looked up from the paper, "will go to Miss Trinket?"

"Yes, that's right," Haymitch nodded. "She'll have care and control. The boys will be stayin' with her."

"Very well," the Registrar made some marks on the paper. "It states here that you, Mr. Abernathy, will make prior arrangements with Ms. Trinket for future visitation."

"Yes, ma'am."

The Registrar took a long hard look at both of them, Effie in particular and placed her pen on the table.

"You're aware, of course, that you are not required to make the decision on custody today, especially if you are considering renewal. You have two weeks left. However, in the meantime, I will advise you to record your agreement for joint custody regardless. Custody rights can always be amended at any stage. The children's welfare and interest are of paramount importance to the Department of Family and Social Services, and if custody is not logged in to the system within the stipulated deadline, you will be guaranteed a visit from them. Do you still wish to proceed or – "

"We're aware, thank you," Haymitch said. "We're ah – We're workin' things out. You can put that agreement on record. No need to have the Social Services breathin' down our neck."

"Yes, go ahead," Effie gave her affirmation.

They sat in silence as the woman keyed in their decisions into the system. Effie glanced at him, her hands clasped together.

"We should have that on record," he spoke quietly. "We don't know how long we'll need to figure things out. Best to play on the safe side."

"Now, just one other thing, I need to know if there's also an agreement on how you wish to split your matrimonial properties and assets. Have you filled the necessary forms?"

Effie flipped through her papers in her file and handed the Agreed Matrimonial Property Plan to the Registrar.

The woman smiled as she accepted the form, leaning back in her seat to study the paper.

"I must say, this is one of the most amicable splits I have seen," she praised. "No reason to be surprised, I supposed. You have worked tirelessly to get the law repealed, it only makes sense that the both of you must have had all of this figured out since day one."

Haymitch said nothing to dissuade her of that notion and neither did Effie. It seemed petty to argue over their assets and property, not that there were many to begin with. The house in Twelve was his – not even his actually, but who was keeping count? – and the apartment in the City was hers. Whatever money they had in their joint account which they had set up mainly for the children's benefit would be split in two as agreed, and Haymitch had promised himself that part of his share would go to the trust fund he had set up for the children years earlier.

"Everything has been recorded in the system. That should be all there is to it. We shall require about three to four week to process the paper works, and you'll each receive a copy of the document stating the terms of your agreement from the Courts thereafter. In the meantime, custody arrangements are effective immediately. If you do not receive the Custody Orders a month after today, please call the general office."

With that over, Haymitch and Effie left the office. Since Effie would be the one with the care and control over the children, she went over to the front desk to sign more documents while Haymitch waited for her at the hallway. He leaned against the wall, watching her when a movement at the corner of his eyes caught his attention.

Haymitch turned to see Elias sneering at him. He pushed himself of the wall and planted himself in the middle of the hallway. If Elias wished to get to Effie, he would have to pass by him.

"You're not going anywhere near her."

"I don't wish to," Elias spat and walked off.

XxX

On the sofa, Ethan sat at the edge, his legs swinging back and forth, as he licked the ice-cream Haymitch had bought for the boys. He watched his father and his brother.

Tristan's ice cream was left forgotten on the coffee table as he stood in front of his father, on the very verge of tears.

"You're not stayin?" he asked, blinking in confusion. "Why can't I come?"

"We've talked 'bout this, you remember? I gotta go back to Twelve, and you gotta stay here with your ma. We'll talk to each other every day, alright? You'll call me, won't you, peanut?"

"But… But I don't know how to use the phone, dada."

Haymitch chuckled. "You mother will teach you. It ain't that hard."

"But I don't wanna stay here! I wanna go with you."

"Come on, Tristan," Haymitch rubbed his face tiredly. "Don't make it difficult. You'll stay here for a little while with your brother and your ma. It's gonna be … It'll be fun. Uncle Felix will take you out. He told me he would. He'll get you more colouring books," said Haymitch.

He nudged the boy lightly, trying to put a smile on his son's face.

"It's just for five days," Effie chimed in, lifting up her hand and showing five fingers. "Then dada will visit again. He won't forget. I will call him to remind, I promise."

"When's five days?" Ethan asked, hopping off the sofa to join his brother.

"Saturday – end of the week," Haymitch answered. "You'll look after each other for me, won't you, tiger? Especially your mother."

His eyes flickered up to Effie and she smiled at him indulgently.

Ethan nodded. "Okay."

"Good man," Haymitch ruffled his hair.

"But dada, Sunday is after Saturday. Right?" he frowned, trying to make sense of the days of the week. "So we can't have pancakes on Sunday 'cause… 'cause you're here on Saturday."

"I'll stay over the weekends – that's  _both_ Saturday and Sunday. You're  _still_  making pancakes on Sunday, aren't you?" he asked Effie and she nodded. "See, nothing's changed much. We're still gonna have pancakes for breakfast on Sundays. You know your ma doesn't change her schedule on a whim."

Haymitch didn't give them a chance to reply. The longer they talked, the more difficult it would be to leave for the train station. He gathered both boys close and kissed their heads.

"Be good for her, don't get in trouble."

Ethan wriggled out of his father's grasp, same way he did as a toddler whenever someone tried to carry him. Tristan didn't let go. He clung to Haymitch, pressing his face on his father's neck.

"Say goodnight to your father, Tristan," Effie said softly. "You don't have to say goodbye, just wish him goodnight. What do you always tell dada before you go to bed?"

"I love you," Tristan choked out, his voice muffled.

"Yeah," Haymitch said thickly. He swallowed the lump in his throat and patted the boy's back. "Yeah, me too, peanut. I'll see you in five days, okay?"

Effie walked him to the door so they could talk without the children overhearing their conversation.

"Remember what we talked about. This is only for a little while, just some time away from each other," he framed her face in his hands, his thumb brushed lightly over her cheek.

"Only temporary while we both think about what we want," Effie nodded in agreement. She gripped his wrists, her blue eyes fixed on his. "I'm not giving up on you."

"That's a relief," he teased. "You tell the boys that – "

"They can call you anytime they want, and you promise you'll answer the phone," she completed his sentence. "And I have to tell them that I will, of course, let them talk to you every day. I remember what you said, Haymitch."

He smirked at her. "Good. Ethan's gonna miss his geese. Try not to mention his geese if you can avoid it but if it comes up, tell him I'll take good care of them until he can come over to visit."

"Stop worrying," she implored, pecking his lips to silence him. "Sometimes I think, we exchanged personality over the five years."

"That's a horror," he mumbled before kissing her cheek.

He kept his gaze fixed in front of him as he walked away towards the elevator and it was only when he heard the door to her apartment closed shut that he looked over his shoulder. He believed her when she said that she would not give up on him. He had given her so many reasons to quit on him over the two decades that they've known each other but she never did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that things are how I want them to be, the story will pick up some pace. And I'm very excited for you guys to read the next chapter because someone's coming back with something up the sleeve! :)
> 
> Thanks for reading and please leave a review.
> 
> (there's really a shampoo with the tag line 'burst of mango tango')


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Soon after President Paylor announced the abolishment of the law and the subsequent dissolution of all marriages under the law, there was only one pressing matter on Elias' mind – his properties. His marriage to Thalia was the glue that held most, if not all, of his assets together. Granted, those assets in questions also belonged to his wife, but he viewed it mostly as his.

Following the announcement, Elias flew from the resort in Four to the Capitol, and made his way to the title deed's office to ensure that everything was in order.

There was a reason their marriage worked for the past five years. Elias and his wife were of one mind in most occasions. In fact, the success of their 'marriage' was probably because of how they viewed it. It wasn't so much of a marriage as it was a business partnership.

Just as his concerns swirled around his properties, so did Thalia's. When he returned home, his wife, or rather, his ex-wife as things stood at the moment, was waiting for him. Elias could tell that she was not happy but that was the least of his worries. His main goal was to convince her to renew the marriage and secure the money. Unfortunately, this was the rare occasion that she wasn't in agreement with him.

"It will work out, honey. I give you my word. Just follow me to the City when the time comes and we shall renew our marriage. Nothing will change," Elias implored.

Her eyes flashed at his audacity.

"The nerve of you! Did you know what I found out, darling?" she pressed her lips together. Her voice had taken on a sickly sweet tone "It's come to my attention that you tried to change the title deed for our land in District Seven to your sole name. Am I wrong, Elias? Word has it that you tried to pay off the clerk."

Elias snorted. He slipped one hand casually into his pocket as he turned his back on her, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

"Wherever did you hear such false rumours?"

"Oh, don't try to pretend any longer!" she spat, slowly losing her temper. "You know very well those rumours are true. The land in District Seven was in our joint name. That is _our_ joint project. My father funded that project and you – you! What a fool I was to have included your name in it, too. It should have just been under mine."

"Come now, there is no need for this -"

"You will put a stop to this immediately, Elias. You will call the title deed's office and tell them that there has been a mistake. Your _forged_ my signature! I never consented to the title deed being under your sole name. We had an agreement. My father…," she was distressed and Elias watched her, amused. "He will be absolutely angry when he finds out."

"He doesn't have to find out, darling. It's simple really," he drawled, taking a seat on the armchair with his leg crossed in front of him. "We'll renew our marriage."

"You're using our land as a threat to get me to marry you?"

" _My_ land," he smirked. "That'll be my land by tomorrow. If we're married, darling, our assets and our properties will never have to come under the light of days. Think of how much money we've made from our ventures. Do you really want to lose them all? Think of the marriage as a protection."

"Our resort in Four is still under our joint name," Thalia pointed out without a thought. Her eyes widened as she slowly began to realise just what was happening. "So are the bank accounts for that project. If you try to do what you did with the title deed in Seven to the resort in Four and to our bank accounts, you'll get caught. You only have Seven in your pocket but you want more. You always want more. So this is your plan - for us to get married so that your shares in the resorts are safe?"

He swirled the ice in his glass with a condescending smirk on his face. It only confirmed her suspicions.

"You greedy, son of a bitch," she hissed. "You think that after what you've just done, I will renew my marriage with someone like you?"

"You understand what will happen if you refuse to renew the marriage, yes? All that we own under our name will have to be divided and split. Think for a second," he leaned forward in his seat. "What of the resorts? The share in Klaus' company? We'll be losing millions and millions of dollars. It'll be messy. Renew the marriage," Elias tipped his glass, "and you'll get to share the profits for the project in District Seven – the one that's under my name now. I'm being generous here, honey."

Thalia scoffed.

"Unbelievable. Klaus' company? We're talking of the same Klaus Adler whose company you failed so spectacularly to secure? Where's our extra five percent, Elias? I heard your cousin is still living with that drunk, so until you've managed to sell her to him and get our share, don't talk to me about Klaus' company. All that talk about taking over his company and you've got nothing to show for it," she laughed derisively.

Elias slammed his glass on the table and stood up, advancing on her. His nostrils flared in annoyance at the reminder of his failure.

"And that project in Seven? You may be in the process of having that changed to your name but trust me, if you think that I will let you get away with it, you are sorely mistaken. That land was funded by _my_ father through _my_ account. It wasn't a gift to you, it never was. And on that basis alone, it will form part of our matrimonial assets and I will stake my claim on _all_ of it."

"You _will_ renew this marriage with me," he grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her to him until their faces were inches apart. "

"Most definitely not," she turned her nose at him. "You're despicable and we don't love each – "

"This marriage was never about love!" he screamed, tightening his hold on her. It would leave bruises on her arm tomorrow. "Do you take me for a fool? I don't care for something as trivial and as sentimental as that."

Thalia struggled against him and Elias blinked. In an instance, his entire demeanour changed. It was frightening to see him.

"Darling, darling," he crooned, rubbing her arm soothingly. "Let's not forget why we agreed to this marriage in the first place. Sure, the law was a hassle but we made good of the situation. We were ruthless in the industry. We made good money together. We're an excellent match, surely you can see that? The resort in Four is booming and we're developing Seven into a good holiday destination. Think of the money, darling. Think of the properties we'll have _together!_ "

"I'm _not_ renewing this marriage, Elias," Thalia asserted.

It happened so fast. She never thought Elias was capable of it but one moment she was trying to free her arm from his grasp and the next, she had crashed into the small table behind her. The vase fell on her head, the water drenching her hair. Thalia shook her head to clear her sight as she pressed her hand on her temple.

"You're a horrid man," she shouted, hurling the biggest shard of glass in his direction.

Elias ducked in the nick of time. His eyes were filled with sparks of fury and Thalia knew he would not back down without a fight.

"If you destroy me, I will do the same to you."

XxX

The argument they had at the Family and Justice Building was unpleasant. The Registrar threatened to call security on multiple occasions unless they agreed to have a civilised conversation.

Elias demanded an eighty percent share on all of the properties under their joint name claiming that Thalia had little involvement in the planning and the building of the resorts in Four. Thalia called for the return of her name to the document for the land in Seven. They spent nearly two hours in the office of the Registrar shouting at each other and when no resolution was reached, the Registrar dismissed them, setting a hearing date for a formal judgment from the Courts with regards to their assets.

"Get yourself a lawyer, Elias, because I'm coming for everything," Thalia hissed. "Including our house here in the Capitol."

He gritted his teeth. He wanted to avoid going to Court because once that happen, all of the account books will be laid bare. It wouldn't do him any good especially because what he did with the title deed was illegal. He could be charged for fraud and forgery.

"Alright," he tried, keeping his tone civilised. "We'll go back in there and tell the Registrar we've agreed to split everything equally."

Thalia sneered at him. "Too late, darling. My father's already aware of this. You'll have nothing by the end of it. You will lose _your_ business - the one you so painstakingly built even before we were married – just to pay for my lawyers' fee when you lose this in Court."

Elias watched her walk away. He was under threat from a woman he had spent five years of his life with and he was under a massive amount of stress. Elias fumed. He quelled the urge to kill her, to chase after her and strangled the life out of her. He wanted to destroy something.

Angry and mad, Elias made his way out towards the main corridor and that was when he saw Haymitch Abernathy walking out of a Registrar's office, his hand on the small of Effie's back.

"Well look at that," he muttered under his breath. "Don't you both look happy?"

Elias stopped where he was, his eyes fixed on Haymitch who was leaning against the wall clearly waiting for Effie. His gaze went past Haymitch to see his cousin with her head bent low, signing papers.

 _"_ _I heard your cousin is still living with that drunk, so until you've managed to sell her to him and get our share, don't talk to me about Klaus' company._ _All that talk about taking over his company and you've got nothing to show for it."_

He could still hear Thalia's mocking laughter in his head. He could see her condescending sneer and it fuelled the rage in his heart. He could not stand to be mocked. He would not be belittled. He had not failed, not yet, there was still some fight left in him. He would show Thalia just how wrong she was.

Elias had not spoken to Effie for weeks since before the voting. He truly had no idea what was going on with his cousin or what her situation was with Haymitch. Perhaps Felix would know but it was tiresome to talk to his little brother, and there were better things to do than to pretend that he cared about what Felix was up to.

He didn't know if the man who instigated the Referendum and brought about the end of the law had renewed his marriage with Effie but the sight of them annoyed him greatly. All he saw was red.

Elias always thought Effie had a good head on her shoulder, smart and reliable, but she had chosen the drunk from Twelve over someone whom _he_ deemed fit for her. That itself proved to him that his cousin was gone past saving. Prolonged exposure to the barbarism of the districts had clearly addled her brain, he thought. Klaus could have given her a good life, and he could have given _him_ a share of the company. It felt like a betrayal from his own family to see Effie stand by Haymitch's side. _And_ , he thought savagely, _it was her husband who brought an end to the law._ True Elias had offered his help to end the law, but he had only agreed to have the law abolished just so he could give Effie off to Klaus. He was only willing to help see the law come to an end _if_ \- that was his only condition – Effie went to Klaus but that did not happen because Klaus was a sentimental fool and Effie was too loyal to Haymitch. Elias had not once considered that his marriage would be dissolved when the law ended, and he wasn't expecting his properties to be in jeopardy.

At the end of the day, he would not be in this position if it wasn't for them. They drove him to this. They cost him a lot of money when they ended the law.

If he was going to lose everything, so would they. He would destroy them, the same way their law was about to destroy his business. Elias Lewis was beyond reasoning.

It was at that moment that he locked eyes with Haymitch. Elias sneered.

"You're not going anywhere near her," Haymitch growled, standing in between him and Effie.

Elias chuckled to himself. Near the very same cousin that had cost him so much?

"I don't wish to," he spat.

XxX

The house was too quiet.

The last time Haymitch was surrounded by this same kind of silence was more than five years ago. There was no childish chatter, no feminine laughter and no indignant shrieking as the boys fought over something or the other. There was no conspiratorial whispers in the corner of the room where the boys sat huddled together, planning some mischief that would rile Effie up. All he could hear was his own breathing and the sound of the geese outside.

There was once a time when he was used to an empty house, and the silence was his cloak but it was making him uncomfortable now. Haymitch stepped over Ethan's Lego set and made his way to the porch where he sat and drank the bottle of vodka that Effie had watered down. Haymitch stared at the children's lunch table under Effie's tree, over to Effie's garden swing and the children's swing set.

Tristan's tricycle was lying on its side and with a grunt, Haymitch finally pushed himself off the chair and righted the tricycle, arranging it nicely next to Ethan's blue one. It was easier to differentiate the boys' belongings now that they each have their own preferences. Blue was Ethan's favourite colour and Tristan preferred anything red.

Inside the house, the phone rang and Haymitch nearly tripped over a loose stone as he hurried inside to answer the phone.

"Hello," he answered, slightly out of breath.

"Dada!"

 _Tristan,_ he smiled to himself. "Hey, peanut."

"Ma said I can call after I brush my teeth. I already brushed my teeth."

Haymitch craned his neck to look out the window even though he just came from outside. The sun was only starting to set but since the Capitol was a few hours ahead, Effie was probably getting the children ready for bed.

"Your father picked up?" he heard Effie's voice in the background. "Tristan, did your father answer the phone?"

There were some muffled noises at the back and knowing Tristan, he must have left the phone dangling off the hook to run to his mother so he could answer her question. Soon enough, he heard his son's footsteps getting louder as he return.

"What's she doing?" Haymitch asked when Tristan got on the phone again.

"Helping Ethan. He's so stubborn!" the boy complaint. "Ethan said he doesn't want her to brush his teeth. He wants you, dada, so he's sittin' on the floor with that weird face."

"His pouting face?" Haymitch chuckled. "You know you and your brother look alike, yeah? What'd I say 'bout callin' your brother weird?"

"It means… It means I'm callin' me weird, too," he said sheepishly. "I'll say sorry. Oh, tomorrow's a big, big day! Mama said so. Uncle Felix's gonna bring us to see fishes!"

"See what?"

"Fishes. At the... at the...," in the background he heard Effie quietly told Tristan what he was grappling to say and to which he repeated it to his father, "the aquarium."

"Oh, that's... that's great. Sounds like fun."

Haymitch tried to muster some enthusiasm for him but he simply couldn't. His eyes fell on the sofa, at the very spot Tristan liked to claim as his.

"Ethan wanna talk. Mama said we gotta take turns. Bye, dada! I miss you."

"Already?" Haymitch teased.

"It's been _hoursss,_ " the boy whined. "I'll tell you all 'bout fishes tomorrow!"

"My turn!" Ethan demanded. Haymitch pressed the receiver closer to his hear listening to them squabbling.

"Hey, don't… Don't get rough," he said into the phone, hoping one of them could hear him. "Ethan? Your brother's giving you the phone, son, don't – "

The phone passed from one hand to the other and then Ethan's enthusiastic voice came over the receiver. "Hi!"

"Hey, tiger. What happened?"

"Tristan told me you're not on the phone anymore. I got angry 'cause he's lying."

"That's not very nice of him. He's just playing with you but I'll talk to him 'bout it tomorrow, okay? Heard you're gonna go to the aquarium tomorrow."

"Yeah, but I don't like fishes. They're boring. They just swim around. Where are you?"

"I'm … I'm at home."

"Home where?"

"At home, tiger, in Twelve. I told you I had to take the train home, remember?"

"I thought you were gonna go a while, like, when you go to the market to buy milk when mama told you so 'cause you finish it up. So I waited and waited and waited, and you never come home, and I had to brush my teeth with mama for two days! You always help me brush my teeth."

Ethan sounded disappointed. The boy didn't cry, thankfully but Haymitch had to bit his lip to stop himself from breaking down. His chest ache and he gripped the receiver tight in his hand until his knuckles turned white.

"I'll help you on Saturday, alright?" he said instead.

"And we never said g'night to Dasher either. Did you say g'night to Dasher?"

"Oh, yeah, not yet. I'll do that after I hang up."

"Okay. And you must say good morning, dada! Also, you gotta feed him first 'cause he don't like it if you don't feed him."

Like his mother, if given the chance, Ethan could ramble on unless someone put a stop to him. Haymitch was usually the one to stop him but not today. Tonight, he wanted to hear his son talk.

"You musn't forget 'cause… 'cause he gets very, very, hungry at night and you don't let me feed him at night so you must feed him really early in the morning, okay, or he'll get real sad and he'll chase mama and she doesn't like it when he makes noise, remember?"

"Yeah, tiger, I know," he told the boy.

They had been feeding the geese together since he was a toddler and by now, Haymitch knew his son's routine by heart. It always starts with wishing the male goose, Dasher, a good morning. They would feed it first at Ethan's insistence because Dasher's his favourite before scattering the food for others.

"'kay, that's all. I have to sleep now. Bye-bye!"

"That's all you wanna talk to me 'bout? Your goose?"

"Ummm."

"Tell your father that you miss him before you hang up, darling," Effie said.

"Mama said I gotta tell you that I miss you. I miss you. I really wanna see you."

Haymitch laughed although it sounded strangled.

"So do I. But now, you go to bed."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To avoid confusion: The first part with Elias and his wife took place immediately after the law ended. In Consortium, there was a brief mention of Elias expanding his business with his wife to District Seven. And in the second part with Elias, it brought you back to the current events where we see Haymitch cross paths with him at the Family and Justice Building. I hope that's clear!
> 
> I know there's no interaction between Effie and Haymitch but in the next chapter, you get fluff! A whole chapter of fluffy goodness.
> 
> Thank you for reading and leave a review :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

If there was something they easily fell into, it was falling into a routine.

They were good at it since the first day they met except back then, it was a vicious cycle of insults and fights. It was different now.

Now that they were living apart, it was normal to find them talking on the phone long into the night. It became a routine. Once the children had gone to bed, Effie would give him a call. She would settle in on her bed, feet beneath the covers, cosy and ready to fall asleep, and they would talk just so he would be the last voice she heard. Haymitch would sit on the kitchen stool, a drink in hand as he cradled the receiver on his shoulder, talking to her.

Despite their distance, Effie still managed to fuss over him and he let her.

"You're eating, yes?" she asked. "I hope you're not missing meals just because the children are not there get you to the dinner table."

"You worry too much," he scoffed. "How are the children doing? You're okay with them?"

Effie sighed.

"You are always better with them especially when they're arguing. They're scared of you so they listen to you more."

Haymitch snickered. "Yeah, but they love you more – you're the one who cuddles them and give them kisses when they do somethin' good."

"Don't say that," Effie admonished. "I don't want to hear such things ever again. They don't love one of us more than the other. They love us both equally. We're their parents, Haymitch."

"Sorry," Haymitch mumbled.

"We're better together. They're much more disciplined when we're both present."

"Sure but we have to teach them that they shouldn't misbehave just 'cause one of us isn't around."

"My, my, Haymitch," Effie said. Even though he couldn't see her, Haymitch could tell that she was smiling just from her voice. "I'm proud of you. What you said… you're a good father, you know? I want you to know that."

Haymitch scratched his jaw, uncomfortable with the compliment. "Go to sleep, sweetheart. It's late."

"No, no, stay on the phone with me."

"I ain't gonna stay on the phone just so you can fall asleep on me like you did yesterday," he grumbled. "Hang up and go to sleep."

"If you wanted to, you would have hung up already. You want to talk to me."

She sounded smug. Haymitch frowned. Effie could be a tease, he knew that, but this playful banter was new. He wasn't sure how it came about but it was different. Something was different between them.

"Fine," he snorted. "I'm hanging up - goodnight."

"Haymitch…" she called out softly. Her voice was laced with sleep. "You're still here."

He blinked at that, surprised. Haymitch had been listening to the sound of her breathing, unaware that he was even doing so, but he was trying to discern from the pattern if she had indeed fallen asleep on him.

"Going now – I'll see you," he muttered, slightly embarrassed, and this time, he ended the call.

XxX

Even before the train came to a complete stop, Haymitch was already standing by the door, his duffel bag on the floor next to him. The moment it pulled into the station and it was safe to alight, he was the first passenger to exit.

The train station was busy as usual. Someone had thought it was a good idea to open up shops at the train station but Haymitch felt that it was a mistake. It only made the station busier and packed with people.

"Flowers for you, sir? Fresh flowers!" someone shouted over the din, promoting his items. "Fresh flowers!"

Haymitch paused. The shop had a few patrons but the young man noticed his presence and hurried over.

"Anything I can help you with, sir? We've got fresh flowers. Please, sir, get some for your lady. She will love it. These are excellent quality, only the best."

There were too many flowers spread out before him, too many colours and too many smells which was starting to get to him. He knew nothing about flowers and the choices were just confusing him. In the end, it wouldn't matter which flower he picked as long as he came with some, he thought.

"Just give me … something. Five stalks – those yellow ones," he pointed randomly. "What are those?"

"Yellow marigold, sir, an excellent choice! But only five stalks? I'll charge you a good price if you get a whole bouquet."

"Five's enough."

"Very well."

The man whistled a happy tune as he wrapped the flowers in a nice wrapping sheet before giving it over to Haymitch.

"Can't you put it in a paper bag?" Haymitch asked. The thought of walking around the Capitol holding flowers was not something he wanted the lurking paparazzi to see.

"No, sir, absolutely not! It will damage the flowers. Your lady will not appreciate it otherwise," he said, accepting Haymitch's money.

"They're actually for my son."

On the second night, Ethan had called. He was terribly upset that he couldn't find flowers where he was. Effie's apartment was on the tenth floor and she wasn't about to let her son wander around in the morning looking for flowers. The streets in the City were not as safe as Twelve. The twins spent most of their time in Effie's apartment and Ethan, who loved the outdoors, found it unbearable especially since it broke his morning routine of getting his mother a stalk of flower from Peeta's garden before breakfast.

Now that he had bought something for Ethan, Haymitch felt obligated to get something for Tristan. Effie was always adamant that it was important for them to act fairly and treat the boys equally which meant that if one of them received something, the other would, too.

Haymitch walked down the station, his eyes roamed the place for something to catch his attention, something Tristan would like. It didn't take long before he came to a fruit stall. Strawberries was not only Tristan's favourite, it was also Effie's.

Haymitch smirked.

XxX

Haymitch could hear Effie's voice as he walked along the corridor to her apartment. Her voice was raised, calling out to Ethan to stop doing something or the other. Haymitch hurried along, eager to meet them.

"Half the neighbourhood can hear me screaming, Ethan! Get off the sofa! I will not tell you again, young man."

"Didn't I say to be good, tiger?" Haymitch asked, entering the threshold. He glanced at Effie, "you really should learn to lock the door, sweetheart."

At the sight of him, Ethan screamed. He was scaling the back of Effie's sofa but quickly abandoned it for his father.

"Dada!" he exclaimed, jumping into Haymitch's arms.

It made Effie clucked her tongue at his behaviour. Haymitch picked him up and Ethan's arm quickly wound around his father's neck.

"Did you feed Dasher first like you promised? Does he miss me?" Ethan asked but before Haymitch could even answer, he had moved on to another topic altogether. "We went to the playground yesterday but there's no sandbox like home. I don't like it much."

"You don't like a lot of things," Haymitch pointed out, nuzzling his nose in his son's hair.

"Can you take me to get flowers? Mama wouldn't!"

"I got you some flowers from the train station."

Haymitch raised his other hand to show Ethan what he brought and the boy's eyes lighted up almost immediately. He made a grab for it.

"Ethan Abernathy!" Effie shrieked. "Have you forgotten your manners, young man?"

"May I please?" he asked meekly, looking abashed. For added measure, he kissed his father's cheek as a thank you.

Haymitch let him down and handed Ethan the flowers he had been eagerly waiting for.

"For you, mama," Ethan held it out proudly. "There's…" he peered at the stalks in his hands, trying to count. It took him a while so Haymitch whispered the word to him. "Five… five flowers … for five days, just like dada promised!"

"So it's for Monday to Friday? What about today, baby? Today's the sixth day," Effie teased. "Don't I get a flower for Saturday?"

Ethan froze, staring at the flowers in Effie's hand. He started frowning then as he turned to Haymitch.

"No flowers today, dada?"

"Oh, sweetheart, come on," Haymitch sighed. "You're not making things better."

Effie laughed. She thanked Ethan and kissed her son's head.

"Go and get your brother, will you? I don't think he knows your father is here," she instructed. When he ran off, Effie turned to Haymitch. "I love the flowers, Haymitch, thank you. They're beautiful."

She hesitated, wondering for a second if a peck on the lips or the cheek was more appropriate. Haymitch could see it in her eyes as the thought crossed her mind. He waited for her to make the move. In the end, she settled for a quick kiss on his lips. He would have given her a proper kiss if he wasn't worried the boys might walk in on them.

"I got those flowers for Ethan, you know that, right?" he told her quietly as his hands came to rest on her waist.

"Ah, yes," she smiled in amusement. Her blue eyes twinkled up at him, indulging Haymitch's little game. "Of course it was for Ethan."

Where his brother was loud, Tristan greeted Haymitch with a quiet, "hello."

Haymitch tore his gaze away from Effie to kneel in front of his son.

"Hey, peanut," he spread his arms. Tristan stepped into them. Like his brother, he clung on to Haymitch's neck as he stood up, bringing his son with him. "I miss you," he whispered it quietly in Tristan's ear.

"Me too," the boy replied softly.

He carried Tristan over to the sofa where they settled next to each other. Tristan pulled his colouring book and started showing the pictures he had coloured, and once Haymitch had seen them all, Tristan tugged a piece of paper wedged between the pages of the book. He gave it to Haymitch.

"Mama said my drawing is pretty," he told Haymitch proudly, chest puffing out a little.

"I don't think it's pretty," Ethan chimed in, grinning at his brother. "It's not, it's not, it's not."

Tristan scowled, throwing his brother a dark look. It was cute, Haymitch thought, and he reserved the term 'cute' only for his sons.

"Come now, baby, we'll look for a vase to those pretty flowers in," Effie stepped in, ushering Ethan away before a fight could break out.

With Ethan gone, Tristan tapped the drawing in Haymitch's hand, trying to get his father's attention.

Ethan was right. It wasn't that pretty but it was his son's work and Haymitch would convince anyone that it was a good piece of art even if the drawing was of two disproportionate human beings. Still, he recognised those people in the drawing. It was him and Tristan sitting on Effie's garden swing.

"I miss you a lot," Tristan said, snuggling up to his father. "So Uncle Felix told me to draw you a present. When can we go home, dada?"

He glanced at his son.

"I don't know, peanut. This is a… It's nice. You're gonna be like your Uncle Peeta one day. He paints nice things."

"Da," he sighed impatiently. "I didn't paint it like Uncle Peeta. They're not the same. Don't be silly."

This child was worse than his mother sometimes.

"You know, I think you're much shorter than that," Haymitch said with mock seriousness, pointing to the drawing. "You're not cheating 'bout your height, are you?"

Tristan giggled. It made Haymitch smile to hear that.

"Listen, I got you something, too. You have to share it, alright? Especially with your mother 'cause you know she loves those."

Haymitch's eyes strayed over to Effie as he handed Tristan the packet of strawberries from the paper bag. At the sound of her name, Effie glanced around curiously. She chuckled when she saw what Haymitch had bought.

XxX

The twins' two single beds had been pushed together against the wall, forming a large bed. Haymitch collapsed on it, his arms spread wide. Ethan squealed, jumping up and down the bed excitedly.

"Don't let your mother see you do that," Haymitch warned.

Their room used to be Haymitch's. Well, it wasn't actually his. It was the guest room but he would occupy it during the Games if he happened to be at her apartment for work related matters. The room was different now.

Effie always made sure it was clean, neat and organised but it was now filled with toys that the boys had brought from Twelve. The children had even decorated it – something Effie had allowed them to do just to occupy their time – and Tristan's drawings were on the wall. The window sill was lined with Ethan's miniature toy cars.

"Come on," Haymitch beckoned them over as he settled in the middle of the bed, "time for you both to sleep."

Tristan climbed over his father, curling on Haymitch's left. Ethan somersaulted on to the bed. Haymitch's heart stopped beating for a painful second as he envisioned all the ways the boy's head could snap with a single wrong move.

"I told you countless times not to do that."

Ethan grinned. He reached out for his bolster and occupied the right side of the bed.

Effie chose that moment to check in on them. Her eyes roamed the room, taking in the sight of bed pushed together and she smiled when she saw Haymitch with the children.

"Go to sleep," she told them sternly. "It's already way past your bedtime. Don't push it."

Ethan and Tristan nodded their heads but once she left, closing the door behind her, they snickered. The three of them talked in hush whispers in the dark with the boys telling their father all about their week and all that they did while in the Capitol. At one point, while recounting about his trip to the aquarium, Tristan grew excited. He climbed on top of his father, arms folded across Haymitch's chest as he propped his chin on his arms just to look at his father

Haymitch wheezed.

"You ain't a baby anymore, peanut," he heaved a breath. "You've gotten heavier and if you lie on me like that, I can't breathe."

"But can we, dada, please? Can we get fishes? Mama said no. Please, I want pretty fishes like at the…the a-qua-rium," he broke down the words carefully. "Please."

"We'll see," said Haymitch, making no promises. "It's almost midnight. Come on, you gotta sleep. Your ma's gonna poke her head in again soon and if she sees that you're still awake she'll get mad."

"We don't wanna sleep," Ethan shook his head adamantly.

Haymitch sighed.

"Okay whoever goes to sleep first will get chocolate on their pancakes tomorrow," he bribed.

It worked. It always did.

Tristan scrambled off him. The boys pulled the covers to their chin and squeezed their eyes shut.

"Dada," Ethan whispered. "You must stay and see if I win."

"I'll win!" Tristan insisted. "Watch me! I'll fall asleep first. You musn't go until we fall asleep so you know who wins."

Haymitch did just that. With his arms folded across his stomach, he stayed until both their breathings had even out before he left their room.

XxX

"I thought they weren't ever going to sleep," Haymitch grumbled, walking out of the boys' room.

He collapsed on the sofa.

"If they can have it their way, they'll stay up all night now that you're here," Effie told him. She sat next to him with her legs folded beneath her, leaning against Haymitch. She reached out for the strawberry and bit into it, humming contently. "Two gifts… What a special day."

"For two children - you're the one who said we have to be fair when we get them anything," Haymitch reminded her, running his fingers through her hair.

"Hmmm," she nodded. "Are they only solely for your children?"

"Yes."

"You don't have me in mind at all when you bought strawberries – a fruit that happened to be my favourite - and mari _gold._ Flowers as yellow as my hair… Wasn't that what you once told Ethan?"

"Your hair aren't yellow, sweetheart," he muttered distractedly.

"You're sweet, Haymitch," she said, pressing herself further against him. "It's rare and it's always so surprising to discover what you're capable of. It's a novelty. I know you don't like to hear it but you're sweet."

Haymitch frowned. "Stop that. You make me sound like – "

"I won't tell anyone this other side of you," she promised with a teasing smile on her face. "Your secret is safe with me. It's such a privilege - I'd rather I'm the only one who knows and the only one who gets to experience your sweetness."

"You've gone mad, sweetheart."

They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company; Haymitch with a glass of whiskey and Effie with her strawberries. Considering the late hour, Haymitch watched, slightly alarm at the rate Effie was eating those fruits. He reached out, intending to move it away when Effie stopped him.

"I'm not done."

"The last time I saw you ate that much was when you were pregnant with the boys. You're not…" he shifted in his seat, "you're not pregnant again, are you?"

Effie paused, tilting her head to the side as she looked at him. She buried her face in his chest, shoulders shaking with laughter. Haymitch relaxed. He didn't even bother asking her to stop. He liked listening to the sound of her laughing even if it was at his expense.

"You worry about the most unexpected of things. How am I supposed to be pregnant, Haymitch? I can't remember the last time you touched me – it was before the law even came to an end, probably," she mused.

"Hmmm."

"How are you doing in Twelve?" she asked. "You kept asking about us but you never talk about yourself."

"What's there to talk about? It's just me. Nothin' much to tell."

"Tell me anyway – I want to know."

Haymitch released a breath as he leaned his head back against the sofa.

"The house is quiet," he admitted. "I wouldn't mind the noise."

Effie grinned. Her fingers were playing with the buttons on his shirt absent-mindedly.

"You miss us," she pointed out, poking his rib.

Haymitch lifted his shoulder in a shrug.

"You do, don't you? We miss having you around, too."

It was easier to admit after hearing the same from Effie, so Haymitch nodded, kissing her hair. "Yeah, I do."

"I even miss your snoring," she laughed lightly.

"I don't snore."

"You can't know that. You'd be sleeping, won't you? There's no way for you to know if you're snoring but I do. There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just me," she patted his chest comfortingly.

"I don't miss you taking most of the space on the bed," he countered.

It made her laugh again and he smirked, counting his success. How many times had he made her laugh tonight?

"Oh, is that how it's going to be? Well… Let's see," she wriggled, shifting around the sofa until her head was pillowed on his lap and she was looking up at him. "I don't miss… I don't miss your flatulence that you deemed appropriate to release in the middle of the night."

"It annoys you. I consider it my duty," he grinned.

"You're impossible. Your turn."

"What - we're playing a game now?"

"Oh, go on, Haymitch, indulge me. What is it that you don't miss?"

"I don't miss you asking me to play games," he informed her. Effie smacked his stomach lightly. "Alright - I don't miss having to deal with your hair in my mouth and on my face, just 'cause you think my chest is a pillow. And this one's a good one - I don't miss being asked to clean the house."

Effie gasped, brows furrowed together. "Is the house in a mess? Haymitch, I've only been gone for five days!"

"You asked," he shrugged again.

"Actually, I miss you hovering near me in the kitchen, watching the things I add in my dish because you think my cooking is so atrocious I'll send the children to the hospital."

"And here I thought we're all about what we don't miss," he rolled his eyes. "You change the rules pretty fast, sweetheart."

Effie flashed him a smile, pushing herself up until she was straddling him. She looped her hands around his neck.

"I miss you," she whispered, "so much. Five days felt like a long time and I don't know… I just miss us together."

His hands went to her waist, holding her steady. Haymitch licked his lips unconsciously, and Effie must have noticed because her eyes dropped to his lips. He thought that it was him who leaned forward and went for it, or perhaps it was her but regardless of who it was, their lips brushed against each other and they were kissing. It was sweet, and urgent, and hungry at the same time - their kiss was a reflection of much they missed the other's presence. Each kiss only lead to more, taking them away from everything so they exist only in the moment.

It left him breathless.

Her fingers raked lightly against his scalp. She knew how to coax a moan out of him. Gently massaging and running her fingers through his hair as she kissed him always did the trick. Haymitch wound his hand around her hair, bunching it together so he could kiss her neck. Effie tilted her head without a thought, allowing him to nibble on the soft skin that would sure leave a mark. It was nothing that she couldn't cover with her hair down tomorrow.

She sighed as she ground herself against him. Her night gown rode higher up her thigh. Haymitch groaned. His hand travelled down her waist to her exposed thigh and they slid under her nightgown to roam her back, feeling the soft skin and the small imperfections marring her back that he had gotten to know so well.

It didn't take long for his shirt to be unbuttoned with his belt on the floor and his pants pooling around his ankles. Effie kissed him with such eagerness it made him think that the days they spent apart was worthwhile if this was the way she would react to having him around each time he visited. She kissed her way down his chest and she would have gone lower if Haymitch had not grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.

"Slow down, slow down," he said breathlessly. His fingers coiled around the back of her neck as he stroked his thumb on her nape. Effie sighed, relaxing into his touch. "I'm here, sweetheart. We got all night."

Effie nodded contently, brushing his hair away from his face.

"I miss you in waves," she whispered. "It comes and it goes. When it comes, I feel like drowning from it and when it goes away, sometimes I forgot that you're not here, especially when the children kept me so busy. But at night, it's the worst. I miss you so much, my heart aches. The bed is too cold, and too big, and I count the days, just like Ethan did. It's only five days since you've been gone, Haymitch, but I'm so used to having you around. I miss you," she buried her face on the side of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of the man who was once her husband. "I miss you."

Haymitch swallowed at her confession. His hand stroked her back repetitively. There was a strong need to touch her just to remind himself that he was here with her and not alone back in Twelve.

"Sweetheart," he sighed, his breath warm against her skin. He hesitated only briefly. He could tell her the truth. He could give her that at the very least. She wouldn't laugh in his face and she definitely wouldn't trivialise his feelings. This was Effie and he knew her, just as much as he could walk through Twelve blindfolded. "It's almost like in Thirteen when they dried me out. The more they try to keep me away from the alcohol, the alcohol's all I could think about. It's the same, Effie. It's almost, exactly the same."

"I've never expected anything romantic from you and I certainly did not expect to be compared to alcohol. But it's you and I do understand what you're trying to tell me," she pressed a kiss to his lips. "It's nice to be craved as much as the alcohol."

"More," he said softly, "so much more."

Effie wasn't inclined to talk much after that and he wasn't either except he found it imperative to tell her, "you have to be quiet, sweetheart. Tristan's a light sleeper and we don't want to wake him up."

Her suggestion that they move to the bedroom fell on deaf ears and there was no room for her to argue especially when he took a nipple in his mouth, rolling it with his tongue. Her head fell back but her hands drifted lower, grabbing him where she knew he was throbbing.

"Effie, I can't take – "

Haymitch had given her control. He was allowing her to set the pace but there was only so much he could take and Effie knew it too. Whatever he meant to say was replaced with a groan when Effie sank down on him.

He held her close, his face buried on her chest. Her hands gripped tight the back of the sofa behind him as they rocked against each other. Effie's screamed was drowned out by Haymitch's forceful kiss as he held her in his arms. She shuddered and slumped against him, exhausted.

It took some manoeuvring on his part but he managed to get them both to fit on the sofa with her stretched against him.

"I didn't quite think the night would turn out like this," she admitted, still trying to catch her breath. "I believe it's your turn – what do you miss?"

Haymitch was quiet, thinking about all the things he wanted when he was alone in Twelve.

"This," he told her quietly. "Holding you."

He let her nestled further against him. With her head on his chest, her arm slung carelessly over his torso and him wrapped around her, Haymitch fell asleep to the sound of her breathing. He wasn't alone and the silence wasn't his blanket. Not tonight.

XxX

The heavy weight on his chest was familiar but everything else wasn't. He didn't wake up to the sound of his geese honking or Katniss singing to Prim next door.

The crick on his neck was unfamiliar, too. Haymitch had spent the night with his head propped on the armrest of the sofa and it was making his neck stiff. He shifted while blindly reaching out for the cushions they had thrown on the floor the night before and slid it under his head.

"We should move to the bedroom," Effie voiced out sleepily. Her eyes were still closed but despite what she said, Effie made no attempt to move.

Somewhere in the back of his consciousness, he could hear the sound of keys jingling but passed it off as Effie's neighbour. That was until he heard a very familiar voice.

"Effie, darling," the voice broke the quiet in the apartment. "I'll have you know that your dear Haymitch never arrived at my house yesterday night. Did he even – oh my."

"For fuck's sake, Felix!" Haymitch cursed, hastily pulling the throw blanket up to cover them both. "Learn how to knock! You can't just walk into someone's house like a thief and sneak up on people."

Felix held up two fingers, showing Haymitch the keys dangling from his fingers.

"Can't be a thief if I've got the keys, handsome," he crooned. "Now, haven't anyone told you that it's bad manners not to call your host - that's me - to let me know that you won't be coming, especially since I have so graciously allowed you to sleep over at my place. You have to see it this way, Haymitch, it's really because of me that you don't have to get yourself a hotel room. We could have so much fun together yesterday night, handsome, but you chose to have a good time somewhere else, I see," Felix winked at him, his tone turning flirtatious.

Haymitch rolled his eyes.

"I'm flattered, give me a moment to swoon," he said flatly while putting on his pants.

"I waited the entire night in case you came by," Felix whined. "I could have gone to a party."

"Alright, alright, I should have called but it slipped my mind."

"Yes, I can see that. You both clearly had far too much fun to remember about dear old me," he waved his hands dismissively.

Haymitch handed Effie his shirt without a word and she slipped it on, standing up to finally greet her cousin. The shirt left her long legs exposed. Haymitch's eyes trailed over her appreciatively. It was Felix's turn to roll his eyes when he saw him.

"We're terribly sorry, Felix," Effie apologised. "The children wanted their father to put them to bed and when they finally fell asleep, it was already late and, well…"

"Hmph. It's quite alright, I supposed. It doesn't matter. Anyway, here," Felix threw something in Haymitch's direction. "I've made you a key to my apartment. So in case the twins decided to hold you back or if you two decided to have sex late into the night," he stared at Haymitch pointedly, "I won't have to wait up for you."

Effie blushed.

"Are you sure?" Haymitch asked.

"Yes, quite sure," Felix nodded. "You'll be visiting your family every weekend and it'll be easier if you have the keys."

"It's a good plan," said Effie.

"I thought of it, so naturally, it is," Felix said, casually flopping on to the sofa. He made himself feel at home, reaching out for the leftover strawberries from yesterday when he froze and shot out of it again. He glared at the sofa as if it had cost him a great inconvenience.

"I do believe the sofa needs to be properly and thoroughly sanitize before it is fit for human use. I shall warn the children not to sit on it in the meantime until all bodily fluids have been – "

"At which point during his complaining are you gonna throw him out, sweetheart? Too much chatter this early in the morning."

Felix narrowed his eyes at Haymitch, moving off to the armchair that he deemed suitable for his use.

"Guess who called me?" he asked, crossing his legs but before Effie or Haymitch could say anything, he answered his own question. "Elias did!"

"What does he want?"

"It was an odd phone call. He wanted to change the house he has in the City to my name. According to him, it was only temporary until he has settled some issues which he seemed rather elusive about."

"Why would he do that – change it to your name?" Haymitch asked.

Felix shrugged.

"My best guess is that he and his ex-wife are fighting over their matrimonial assets which mean that if that house is changed to my name, she won't be able to touch that property."

"That doesn't make sense," Effie shook her head. "If that is under his sole name, she doesn't have a claim over it."

"Oh, I don't know. Elias always has something up his sleeves. I no longer bother, truly. But that's enough of him. Let's talk about this Pancakes Sunday that I've heard so much about from Ethan. I'm assuming that we are having pancakes today, so, shall we get started?"

"I think you're more excited about this than the boys," Haymitch remarked.

"I never had a designated day for pancakes while growing up, so you'll have to excuse me."

"We can start, I supposed, although I will usually wait until the children are awake. Ethan likes to help out and if I start without him, he'll be upset."

"Help out isn't the word you're looking for, sweetheart. Make a mess is more appropriate. You should go ahead and start without him anyway," Haymitch told her.

"Oh, no, don't. The more the merrier," Felix said. "If Ethan likes to help out, then we should wait."

"When that boy makes a mess it isn't Effie that'll clean it up. There's some unspoken rule in this family that all messes goes to me," Haymitch grumbled. "It's always _'Haymitch, please be a dear and help me clean the kitchen or Haymitch, dear, Ethan's spilt something, would you please take a towel and wipe it up?_ Isn't that how it goes, sweetheart? I've lost count the number of times I had to do the cleaning when one of the kids threw up when they were sick."

Effie looked indignant at his terrible impersonation of her. She threw a pillow in his direction which he easily avoided, making a joke about her poor aim.

"I spent years, Haymitch, _years_ , cleaning up after your mess. Consider this payment due," she retorted. "And enough of this, I'm going to have a shower. Now if you two gentlemen don't mind, wake the boys up and get them dress for breakfast."

Felix's eyes darted between the pair of them, watching them with an amused smile.

It was too early to tell but he was beginning to think that perhaps he was right somewhat. The time away made them miss each other and it would be good for them when they meet over the weekends.

It was like how their grandmother had once said, "you'll never know how strongly you love someone or how great your love is if you're never apart."

His grandparents had learnt that when his grandfather had spent weeks away from home, working tirelessly for the government in order to defend the Capitol when the rebels attacked during the first rebellion. The circumstances were different but he supposed the idea of being away was the same.

If Effie had agreed to move to the Capitol temporarily, then she must have remembered what their grandmother told them.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It was his third visit to the City, the third week since Effie and the children moved out. This week was different. Haymitch arrived on a Friday night instead of the usual Saturday morning, and it was special because Effie and the boys were waiting for him at the train station.

They ran to him the moment he alighted and jumped into his arms. He met Effie's eyes over the boys' shoulders as he carried them up, giving her a smile. Effie stretched, kissing him quickly.

"They're very excited about getting to meet you a day early," she whispered against his lips.

Haymitch never visit empty handed. He always made it a point to get his children something, which was one of the reasons they probably look forward to the weekends. But Haymitch wasn't like Felix. He never bought them expensive clothes or toys. He preferred to get the twins things that they could eat – fruits, chocolates, candies, pies or cakes. At some point, it had crossed Effie's mind that Haymitch was compensating, trying to make up for the things he never had during his childhood by ensuring that his children had plenty of it.

Tristan asked for strawberry cake from the bakery, and Ethan wanted éclairs.

"Save them for tomorrow!" Effie fretted. "You both already had desserts at Uncle Felix's."

They walked home together, cutting through the park to get to Effie's apartment.

"Dada, look," Ethan pointed to the night sky, "stars!"

"He's taken quite a liking to stars since the past few days," Effie whispered. "Felix brought them to the science centre on Tuesday – there was an exhibition."

"Why are stars so bright?" he asked.

Haymitch exchanged a glance with Effie, silently asking if she knew the answer to the question. Effie shook her head mutely.

"I don't know, tiger."

"They're tiny and little! Little stars!" Tristan chimed in. "Like the song mama likes to sing! Can you sing me the song again?"

Effie laughed, picking her son up. She started singing, crooning in his ears softly. Effie coaxed Tristan until he joined her in the duet.

 _Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky,_ he sang, off tune.

"Why are diamonds like stars, dada? Is it 'cause they're shiny? How many stars are there?" Ethan asked.

"Lots of it – there's just so many, you can't count."

"How many is many?"

No one ever told him that part of being a father meant he had to sit through an intense list of questions. At times he wondered how their little mind worked. How they managed to ask him things he never thought of before was beyond him. It made him wonder if and his brother had asked his father the kind of questions Ethan was asking him.

"Billions and billions of stars," Haymitch replied, hoping that would satiate the boy's curiousity.

"How many is billions?" Ethan frowned.

Ethan was only learning how to count and the concept of tens and twenties was foreign to him, let alone billions.

"See the sky, turn around," he pointed. "Everywhere you look there are stars, right? It's endless. It spreads so far that you can't see most of them – that's billions."

"So many!" he exclaimed, excitedly. He bounced on his feet, clutching on to Haymitch's hand. "They're everywhere? They're at home, too?"

Haymitch nodded.

"They're at Finn's home, too? Can Finn see them?"

"Everywhere, tiger."

Ethan kept quiet. His eyes were fixed on the night sky, watching it spread before him curiously.

"Dada, why's the moon followin' us?"

"It's not following you. It looks like it is but – "

As the boys grew older, they possessed the amazing ability to make him feel incredibly stupid with the questions that they asked. They were curious about their world and when he couldn't answer their questions, it left him with a bad taste in his mouth, as if he had failed them. They looked up to him for answers and it was becoming evidently clear to him that he didn't hold the answers to all of their questions.

"The moon is just there, but it's far away. It's not actually moving but you are so it seems like -," he tried again.

"If it's not movin', why is it followin' me?"

Haymitch groaned.

"The moon is like your friend," Effie said, trying to help Haymitch out. "It'll keep you safe. Don't you feel safe when you walk at night and you look up to see the moon? You know the it will always be there with you no matter what."

"Like you and dada?" Tristan asked.

"Like dada and I," Effie nodded. "We'll always be here - you must remember that, my sweet little prince. We'll always, always be here for you."

"But why is its name 'moon'?" Ethan questioned. "Why doesn't its mama give it a nicer name? I don't like the name."

"You don't like a lot of things," Haymitch muttered. "It doesn't have a mother – it's just a moon. Why didn't Felix get you a book about the damn moon and stars when he brought you to the science centre? You know what, tiger, I'll get you the book so you can read all you want 'bout them."

"Okay!"

"What shall we call the moon, then?" Effie asked, indulging her son.

"It's got to be a pretty name!"

"I've got a pretty name in mind," Effie smiled. "We'll call the moon Luna. How about that? Do you like it?"

Haymitch scoffed.

"I like it!"

"Me, too," Ethan smiled.

People often said that twins took after Haymitch but he disagreed because when they smile, he only ever saw Effie in them. They have their mother's smile, and he would do anything to put a smile on their faces.

XxX

Johanna and Felix came over the next day. Haymitch preferred a quiet Saturday night but with those two around that was not actually possible.

Felix and Effie had taken over the kitchen, trying to prepare dinner. Johanna was making a nuisance of herself, riling the two cousins with her running commentary as they cook. It left Haymitch with the children. It was fine by him as long as he didn't have to get involve with whatever argument they were currently having in the kitchen.

"The earth is the third planet from the sun," Haymitch read out loud from the book he had purchased for Ethan that afternoon.

"That's our home?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It is the only known planet to support life."

"Is it very big?"

Haymitch glanced down at the book. _13,000 kilometers in diameter._

"Very big," he said instead. If he had told him what the book had stated, Ethan would only ask for a reference for thirteen thousand. Besides, trying to explain the concept of measurement to his four year old son was pushing it, he thought.

"Why can't we read stories?" Tristan asked, wrinkling his nose. "Can we read 'bout the three little pigs?"

"What pigs?" Haymitch asked.

"With the big bad wolf!"

"What kind of story is your mother reading you?"

As they grow, their preferences began to distinguish from each other. They may be a copy of the other but their interest was different.

Tristan enjoyed fiction. He loved stories. He liked it when his mother made different voices for different characters as she read. He enjoyed it when Effie made him act out scenes and pretend to be characters from the book they were reading. Ethan wanted to know about his world. He wanted to know about the flowers and the trees. He wanted to know about how the lake behind their house was formed, and now he wanted to know about the universe. It made choosing books that they could both agree on a difficult task.

"Dinner!" Effie announced.

Haymitch visibly relaxed because it meant that he had narrowly avoided a potential disagreement between Tristan and Ethan. They were very close and inseparable, but as with all siblings, they get into arguments quite frequently.

When Johanna set his plate down in front of him, Haymitch glanced at it. The salmon seemed passable enough. Still, he raised an eyebrow at Johanna.

"It hasn't been poisoned," Johanna said. "I tasted them – they made me."

"Quality control," Felix winked.

"Tristan, there are enough chairs to go around, get back to your seat," Effie instructed but the boy remained where he was on Haymitch's lap.

It was difficult for Haymitch to eat but it was difficult still to separate the boy from his father.

"It's fine," Haymitch said.

The twins never went through any separation anxiety, which was fortunate for Haymitch and Effie, but Tristan in particular became overly attached each time Haymitch visited. Still, all things considered, Haymitch thought that they were coping well with the situation so far with him in Twelve and them in the Capitol

"Tristan darling, please, eat your peas."

He shook his head. Effie turned to Haymitch, imploring him to do something about it. Haymitch sighed.

"Come on, peanut, clean your plate," he coaxed.

"No. It tastes funny."

"Okay, we'll make this fun," Haymitch said. "Open your mouth. I'm gonna throw this in the air and you gotta catch it but you can't use your hand. We're playing catch but with your mouth. Once you catch it and the peas' in your mouth, you gotta eat it."

Tristan thought about it for a few seconds. He looked to his brother, their eyes conveying words that only they understood. Tristan wouldn't do this without his brother. Ethan pushed himself off the chair to kneel on his knees. He nodded.

"Okay," Tristan said.

"Haymitch…"

"Don't worry, sweetheart," he grinned at Effie. "They're just learning so I'm going to make it easy for them. It won't dirty the kitchen. Jo, you take Ethan."

Johanna was more than happy when it came to this kind of things.

"The rules of the game are simple - first to finish their peas win the race," Johanna announced. "Don't let me down, Ethan."

Felix's audible groan was drowned by the boys' excited voices. Johanna cheered Ethan on, throwing peas at the boy as low as she could so that it would never miss his mouth.

"Dada, Ethan's cheating! He's cheating! We're gonna lose. We're gonna lose. More peas, dada, more, more!"

"Two for every throw, Jo, really?" Haymitch frowned. "We're going one at a time."

"This is a dinner table," Effie hissed.

"Quite right," chimed Felix. "We have etiquettes and table manners which does not involve throwing peas in the air!"

"Ignore them – they're very boring people," Johanna said.

Ethan giggled. If Felix was Tristan's favourite, Johanna was Ethan's.

Effie sat with her legs crossed and lips pursed together watching their antics. The five minutes dragged on until Haymitch declared Tristan a winner. The boy had stopped catching the peas halfway through and had spooned them by the mouthfuls, chomping on it as fast as he could with his mouth closed because he remembered what Effie always said, "never eat with your mouth open - manners matter."

Ethan sat back in his seat, pouting. He had never liked losing.

"Why don't you show your father what you can do now?" Effie said, throwing Haymitch a dark look as if to say that it was his fault that Ethan was pouting. "Number five…?"

Ethan's entire demeanour changed. His eyes lighted up.

"I can write one to five already, dada! Wanna see?"

Without waiting for an answer, he dipped his finger on the leftover sauce on his plate and wrote a large number five on the table. Felix shrieked and Effie gasped at her son's behaviour.

"You were raised better than this!"

"That poor table!" Felix exclaimed. "Oh, the mess… will you just look at the mess?"

"Will you just shut up?" Johanna scowled, crossing her arms as she glared at Felix.

Ethan looked abashed, a little unsure if he was in trouble but Haymitch's laughter caused the mischievous grin to return to the boy's face.

"Fabulous," he ruffled his son's hair, winking in Effie's direction. He was not the least bit bothered about the mess. "Last time I saw you, you only knew how to write till number four."

"Mama said we have to learn how to count and write our names because we need to know 'em before we go to school."

Tristan nodded at his brother's word. "I'm learnin' to write my name!"

Johanna turned towards Tristan, bringing the glass of wine to her lips.

"In Four, Finn's learning some fancy swim moves. What do you say, kid? Wanna learn how to swim like a frog and learn something fun?"

"I wanna go!" Ethan said enthusiastically. "Can you teach me to be a frog, Aunty Jo?"

"Felix will teach you. He's got a pool up on the roof of his apartment, bet you didn't know that, because your mum," she raised her eyes to look at Effie, "didn't wanna take you swimming."

"Johanna, please," Effie frowned.

"And why must it be me, Mason?" Felix shot her a look. "Why don't _you_ teach them?"

"I'm not a fan of water. I can bring them over, if you want," Johanna shrugged, "but I sure as hell won't go immersing myself in that pool."

"Please, mama!" Ethan said.

"You're a terrible influence on my children," Effie hissed.

Johanna grinned. "Better get used to it, Trinket. You're going to be seeing a lot of me now that I'm not married."

"We see a lot of you even when you were married. It wasn't as if you were always by your husband's side, were you?" Felix commented.

Johanna glared. "Don't be a little bitch, Felix. You liked hanging around with me. You like me dragging you to Four to visit Annie so don't make me change my mind."

"What's a bitch?" Tristan asked suddenly. "Is that a new word, mama? For our voca – voca…bu...lary notebook?"

"You're not allowed to use that word," Haymitch told his son, glaring at Johanna.

"No, no, darling, that is not a word we add to the vocabulary notes," she said at the same time as Haymitch. "Watch your language, Johanna!"

Johanna wrinkled her nose.

"What's that, Tristan? Did you say a notebook? You're four years old, why do you have a notebook?" she asked. She shifted in her seat to look at Effie. "Are you makin' them learn new words? Seriously, Effie, they're a few months shy of turning five. They need to have fun."

"Well!" Effie huffed, clearly displeased by the questions. "I'm thinking of enrolling them into a school and it's better if they know a thing or two before they start."

"We didn't talk about this," Haymitch tilted his head, surprised by this new piece of information. "You want to put them in a school _here_?"

"It was… It was just something that I've been thinking about in passing. I haven't given it any serious thought," she said quietly, resting her hand on his. "I was going to talk to you about it."

"What's this vocabulary notebook?" Johanna asked again, neatly stopping any potential disagreement between the two.

His gaze lingered on Effie but he didn't pursue the topic, trusting her when she said she would discuss it with him.

"Just something Effie does with them since they were a toddler. Effie likes to read to them and when they were two, she started this… thing," he explained. "They'll add any new word that the boys come across and what the word means – to expand the children's vocabulary or somethin."

"Weird," Johanna muttered. "Never had that growing up but I think my vocabulary's great."

"And if by great you mean vulgar and rude, yes I agree," Felix added. "I think it's a good practice, Effie. My nephews will be two very well-spoken, articulate young men!"

"We got fifty words in our list already, Aunty Jo!" Tristan said proudly. "Mama read a new book yesterday. I and Ethan learn a new word."

"Ethan and I learnt a new word," Effie corrected.

"Fam - Famished!" Ethan chimed in. "Dada said it means really, really hungry."

"Wow, Haymitch, you're raising little geniuses," Johanna taunted. "Anyway, you remember little Ari, yeah?"

Effie and Haymitch nodded. The boys perked up at the mention of their friend's name.

"I saw her when I was in Four. She's doing okay, I guess. Still have your tiger soft toy, Ethan. Her mother said that she takes it everywhere she goes."

"Really?" Ethan asked, sounding pleased.

Johanna nodded. "Her father's a real jerk, though," she continued. "He – "

"Excuse me, Johanna, but I don't think this is an appropriate conversation to have with the children around," Effie interrupted.

She ushered the children away from the dining table and settled them in the living room with their toys. When she returned, Haymitch gestured for Johanna to continue where she left off.

"Her father left when the marriage's dissolved. No news from him ever since he signed the dissolution certificate - abandoned his kid from the looks of it. Ari's mother filed for sole custody with the Courts. Not that she had much choice on the matter but I don't know," Johanna shrugged. "Something didn't feel right when I was there. She left Ari with neighbours most of the time."

"What's the mother doing? Is she working?"

"Annie said she is. Long hours."

XxX

Haymitch leaned against the door frame, arms folded across his chest. Effie fussed over her sleeping babies, tucking their blankets carefully, brushing their hair and kissing their foreheads.

"A school here?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She straightened up, switching on their night lamp.

"They're at the age where they should be attending pre-school."

"What's wrong with what you're teaching them so far? They're learning things. They're doing great."

Satisfied that everything was in order and that her children would have a good night's sleep, Effie walked over to Haymitch, wrapping her hands around his waist.

"What we're teaching them at home is just to prepare them for school, Haymitch. It's the building blocks."

"But a school here in the city? I don't like the idea, sweetheart."

"Why not? What's wrong with the schools here?"

He shrugged. "We don't know what they're teaching the kids, do we?"

Effie tilted her head back to look at him, not quite understanding what he meant.

"I don't want their heads to be filled with –"

 _Ah,_ it clicked in her mind. She had told him before how she, along with other Capitol children, had been taught since they were young that the Games were an entertainment, a just punishment for the crime perpetuated by the rebellious districts. They grew up believing it to be true.

"You're afraid that what happened to me will happen to them," she sighed. "They're not going to be brain washed into thinking something, Haymitch. President Snow's regime is long over. The schools here are different than what it once was."

She laid her hand on his cheek, imploring him to understand. Haymitch said nothing.

"There's an education board now. They oversee all the curriculums. You know all these. You know that they're responsible in making sure that the standard of education and the curriculum is standardised across Panem. You're not telling me that you won't be comfortable with sending them to the pre-school in Twelve, are you?"

"That's the thing, isn't it, sweetheart?" he removed her hand from his cheek. "You said this was only temporary, that we just need some time to think about what we both want but you telling me that you want to send them to a school here makes it look like it's permanent. Is that it?"

"Haymitch, that's not what – "

"Starting a school here? Come on, Effie," he shook his head, moving away from her towards the living room. "Why send them to a school in the city unless you plan to be here awhile?"

Effie went after him, chasing him down the hallway. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around.

"Haymitch, listen to me," she framed his face in her hands. "It's not permanent. You have to understand that. I wasn't lying to you when I said that it's not. I meant what I said about us needing some space and that we would work it out. If we start them in a school here, we can always transfer them back to Twelve. They can change school. I just want them to interact and socialise with other children their own age. I want them to learn things they wouldn't learn if they stay at home. It'll be good for them."

Haymitch breathed out slowly. It never crossed his mind that the children could easily change school. He felt foolish somewhat for the way he reacted.

"Besides, the school term doesn't start until a few months. We have time to think about this. They're our children – we'll make this decision _together,_ " she told him. "And in a few months, we may not even be living here."

She smiled at him.

"Yeah," he nodded. "A lot can happen in a few months."

He drew her into a kiss which she was more than happy to comply, the conversation cast aside.

XxX

Haymitch found weekdays to be dreary ever since Effie and the children moved to the Capitol. So when he received a phone call in the middle of the day from Effie, he couldn't say he wasn't surprised.

"Hey, sweetheart," he grinned when he heard her voice. "Bit unusual to call at this time, should I be worried that you're breaking routines?"

Effie laughed but it quickly died down.

"Have you checked your mail, Haymitch?" she asked. Effie would remind him to check the mails every week for any correspondence from the Court. "It's been three weeks already, have you gotten the custody order? I checked yesterday morning but I haven't received anything."

"I checked the mail box on Friday before I left for the city – nothing," he informed her. It was Tuesday and he had not checked the mail yesterday when he got back. "Hang on the line, I'll see if there are any mails now."

He knew it would put her at ease if he were to get back to her immediately instead of telling her that he would call back and making her wait.

There were a few letters in the mail box and Haymitch thumbed through them as he walked back inside, looking for an official mail. He found one wedged between two flyers. The letter was addressed to him.

"I got somethin'… could be the orders," he told her, picking up the phone. He cradled the receiver between his cheek and his shoulder as he tore the envelope, extracting the letter folded neatly inside.

He read through it quickly, his eyes skimming through the contents to get the gist of it. Haymitch picked up random words but it was enough to make him go absolutely still, his heart freezing in his chest.

"What the fuck?" he breathed out, not quite able to believe what he was reading. "Son of a bitch."

"Haymitch? What's the matter? Did you get the letter?"

"Effie… Oh, fuck, Effie," he cursed, kicking the stool in the kitchen violently in a surge of anger.

"Haymitch, what is it? You're making me anxious. Why are you cursing so much? You know very well by now that I don't like it when –"

"They denied me custody," he forced the words out. Haymitch crumpled the paper in his hand and stuffed it in his pocket. He pressed the palm of his hand on his forehead. _This can't be happening. I'm their father. I'm their father!_ "I'm their father," he said it out loud this time, "and I'm being denied custody over my own children."

"What?!" Effie shrieked. He heard her sharp intake of breath and then she started counting down from ten, trying to calm herself. "No, no. That cannot possibly be right. There is absolutely no reason for you to be denied custody – we agreed on joint custody! Read the letter properly, Haymitch. There has to be a mistake. Did they mean to send it to another person? Perhaps they had gotten wrong address. Yes, that must be it!"

"Effie," he gritted his teeth. He pulled the paper out from his pocket and smoothed it out. "I am reading the fucking letter again, and my name's there, sweetheart. The boys' names are there. This isn't a mistake. This is happening, do you understand? I am not getting custody for the boys until further investigation has been completed."

"I – I don't…What…" Effie stammered. She always had something to say, always knew what to say and what Haymitch was telling her right now made no sense to her at all. "Investigation?"

"I am as clueless as you. I don't know what the hell is going on, sweetheart, but I intend to find out. You make your way down to the lobby now, right now, and you check your mail box. Then you call me back. You don't cry, you don't panic and you sure as hell, don't let the kids see you worrying. Call me the moment you get back."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the end of Chapter 7 of Consortium, Haymitch found out he was going to have a child, and in this Chapter 7, he found out he could be losing them. But, let's see what's going on next week! I know the ending's a bit evil, but I hope you like the chapter still. I really had fun writing the first part of them talking about the stars and the moon.
> 
> Thanks for reading and leave a review :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Effie could sense the uneasy feeling spreading from her chest outward, filling her whole. Her fingers danced in nervous jitters, drumming against the table next to the phone. Her heart hammered behind her ribcage, beating an odd rhythm.

She sat down, staring at the wall, thinking of Haymitch alone in the house and the things he must be feeling right now.

It was not possible for him to be denied custody. It was not possible. They had agreed on a joint custody. There was an agreement, signed and witnessed by the Registrar.

Effie stood up, pacing the small space.

_"_ _Don't let the kids see you worrying."_

She stopped in front of the window. Effie pushed it open at the sudden need for fresh air. She closed her eyes, feeling the wind against her skin. The air wasn't as fresh as District Twelve where the scent of the earth and the trees mingled together. She missed Twelve.

Effie opened her eyes when a thought crossed her mind.

_Does this mean I get sole custody?_

That seemed to be the likeliest outcome. There was no reason to panic.

Her mind was quickly working out ways that they could solve Haymitch's problems. If she had been granted sole custody then Haymitch could breathe easy. Nothing would change. They would just work things out. She was not going to keep his children from him. Still, it was better to rectify the situation. They could appear in Court again, she thought, and inform them that there was a mistake because that had to be it, an error. The Registrar must have recorded their custody arrangements wrongly.

No reason to panic at all.

Still, something nagged at the back of her mind. The uneasy, nervous feeling roared its ugly head, threatening to cripple her. This was not the time to have a panic attack, she reprimanded herself harshly.

_Investigation._

Haymitch had mentioned it but he had said little else except to tell her to check her mails. She should check them. He was waiting for her to call back with news.

"Felix," she called out, grabbing her keys from the bowl. "Please keep an eye on the children. I'll be back soon."

There were a few people milling around in the lobby. Effie kept her head low and went straight to the rows of mail boxes, not quite in the mood to be stopped for a chat. The key clicked and she popped it open to see a single envelope inside.

Her breathing quickened. Effie stared at it before reaching for the letter hesitantly.

Her name was printed neatly on the front and there was an official government seal on the back when she turned it over. Using her key, Effie slid it over the envelope and pulled the letter within.

It wasn't a court document. It wasn't the order she had been expecting. Her breath hitched in her throat. There was something else that made her feel uneasy, something Haymitch had said over and over again. _Letter._

He made no mention of receiving a court order. All he said was that he had received an official letter, much like the one she was holding on to now.

 _No, no, no,_ she thought angrily as she tore the envelope to make sure there really was no other document in it.

"Please," she whispered as she unfolded the letter.

Unlike Haymitch who skimmed through the letter, picking out important words, Effie read it carefully, line by line.

"No," she breathed out. Her hands shook. "No, no, no. This can't –"

"Miss Trinket? Are you alright?"

Effie raised her head to see her neighbour from two floors down looking at her with concern.

"I'm – I'm fine," she managed a smile but her eyes had lost their usual warmth.

She wasn't fine. She knew it, too. There was a heavy weight in her chest and it made breathing difficult. Effie glanced around at the unfamiliar faces. She wanted Haymitch. But he wasn't there. He was at Twelve, waiting for her to call back but she couldn't go back to her apartment. Not like this. She didn't want the children to see her this way.

Effie left the building, crossing the street to the other side where she collapsed on a bench. She didn't know how long she sat there, regulating her breathing, staring at nothing. At some point, Felix came over looking for her with the twins.

"Haymitch has been calling," Felix said, taking a seat next to her. "Three times to be exact. He sounded frantic and he wants you to call back as soon as you can. What's the matter, darling, did something happen?"

"Mama?" Tristan called out, climbing on to her lap. He touched her cheek and called out for her again.

"You're going to be okay," she kissed Tristan's head. "You and your brother – we'll make sure of it."

Felix frowned when he heard that. He took the letter from her hand and raised an eyebrow, questioningly. Effie nodded.

"What in the name of -" he stopped abruptly and heaved a breath. "This isn't real. They're your children!"

"It is," she said quietly. "Haymitch has it, too."

"Effie, darling, you have to … There has to be something… What's going to happen to the children? This is clearly a mistake because – "

"I have to speak to Haymitch. He needs to know. He's going to be very angry, Felix."

"Well, he should be! This isn't right. Now, you head back home, darling, and you call him. I have an appointment for my hair treatment today but not to worry, I can take the children with me. I will get Johanna to meet me there - she will kick up a fuss but that's my problem not yours. You call Haymitch as soon as you get back home."

"Don't… Don't do anything to their hair, Felix. Don't colour or dye their hair," she said distractedly. "I know you've been wanting to but they're too young and Haymitch will have a fit."

Felix laughed and kissed her head, promising her that he would leave the children out of the salon's chair.

"Come now, darlings, we're going to some place fun. But first, we'll have to wake your Aunt Johanna up! Who's excited?"

XxX

Effie saw him even before he even stepped off the train that Wednesday afternoon. She pushed passed people, mumbling apologies as she hurried forward and crashed into his arms, hugging Haymitch as tight as she could.

She was so glad to see him, to feel his arms around her and to know that he was here now. She had been afraid of losing her children but with him here, she felt better. Haymitch would never let anything happen to their family. She knew that without a doubt.

"I was so worried," she mumbled against his neck. "I was so, so worried, Haymitch. I couldn't sleep."

"It's okay, sweetheart," Haymitch cradled the back of her head, brushing her hair soothingly. "I'm here now - it's going to be okay."

They had no idea what was going on which made it difficult for her to believe that but it was Haymitch and he would make sure that it would. She had placed her trust in him a long time ago and she knew it was not misplaced.

"What are we going to do?" she clutched on to his shirt.

"Where are they?"

"With Felix and Johanna back home," Effie answered.

"Alright," he nodded, "that's good. I spoke to Johanna before I left Twelve. She's got my permission to punch any officers in the face if they come knocking for the kids," he told her, trying to put a smile on her face only to fail spectacularly.

"Oh, Haymitch, you shouldn't! We're not going to do ourselves any good. They're already investigating into – "

He chuckled quietly, his thumb brushed against her cheek.

"I need you to wipe your tears. I know you're scared. I am, too," he admitted. "But I need you to be strong for the boys. It's okay to cry, Effs, but not here, and never in public from now on. They can't see it. They're just waiting for you to breakdown and lose it, and they will use it to support their case, you understand? You want to fall apart when we're alone together then you go ahead, sweetheart. I'm gonna be there."

Effie nodded. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, there was a sparkle of determination there. The corner of his lips quirked upwards into a smile and he kissed her in the middle of the train station.

"We're going to work together. We're going to be a team," he grinned, his finger tapped on the gold bangle around her wrist, his bangle that she wore along with his mother's bracelet.

"We've always been a team," she whispered. "Haymitch… I want to know who did it to us."

XxX

Haymitch was agitated and at his wits end when not a single officer would let them know what was going on except to repeat countless times that they should appoint a legal guardian for the children until custody issue has been settled.

"I don't want to appoint a legal guardian. I'm their father and I'm still alive to care for them," Haymitch hissed.

"Haymitch," she pulled on his arm, "let me talk to them. You're angry. It's not doing us any good. Let me talk."

"Fine," he said, and sat on one of the chairs.

"Are we allowed to visit our children?" she asked the clerk. Haymitch bristled at the question.

"Yes, Miss Trinket. At the moment, from what I can read from your file, you're allowed to visit them on weekends under our supervision. If you wish to vary it, please let me know and I will key it in the system."

"Can't we see them anytime we want? I don't think it's in the Family and Social Services Department's core values to separate a mother from her children or the children from their father. I'm sure there's something you can help us with."

"That's not… I'm sorry but that's not allowed unless it's an emergency. You and Mr. Abernathy have been deemed unfit and as such, the Family and – "

"That's bullshit," Haymitch stood up. "If you ain't gonna tell me who filed the report, then I'll come back with the proper authorisation. Come on, Effie."

"Sir," the clerk called out. "The legal guardian….?"

"Felix Lewis and Johanna Mason," Haymitch spat without even thinking about it. "Or is Johanna Mason unfit to be a guardian, too? You seem to make a habit of going after broken victors after all. You should have exempted her from the marriage law if you think that -"

"Haymitch! There is no need for that," she frowned at him. "Why don't you wait outside? I will be out in a moment."

XxX

They were quiet during the taxi ride. Haymitch was still angry. Effie, on the other hand, was calm. She had to be for both of them. She was proud of the way she was handling herself and the situation. A few years ago, she would have had a panic attack but she has Haymitch, she always has, and his presence grounded her. Her fingers crept towards his hand on the seat, curling it over his palm.

"You said they should have exempted Johanna from the law if they didn't think she was suitable to be a mother or a guardian," she spoke, her voice was soft. "You said nothing about yourself."

For a long time, Haymitch was quiet. Effie laid her head on his shoulder, thinking that there was nothing he wished to say about that subject.

"If they had exempted me, I wouldn't have … I wouldn't have you. I wouldn't have the boys. I don't regret it," he breathed out slowly. "I wouldn't be a father and I… Effs, I don't know how not to be a father. That's all I've been for the past four years and I – I like the job, I like the responsibility," he went on, staring out of the window, watching the scenery passed by. "I like being someone's father. I like being _theirs_."

It was rare to hear him open up about his feelings that it made her heart swell. She was glad that he shared it with her instead of keeping it bottled up inside. For years, he had been apathetic, closing himself off to people until Katniss and Peeta came along. He had survived at the bottom of his bottles and he had simply stopped living but things had changed for him. His sons taught him how to live and how to love, and she knew that this was killing him as much as it was hurting her.

Effie nestled further against him and laced their fingers together.

"You'll always be theirs," she assured him.

They said little else for the remainder of the journey, each lost in their own thoughts. The taxi rumbled on, inching closer towards President Paylor's office.

Effie didn't realise that they had arrived at their destination until Haymitch nudged her to leave the taxi. Thankfully for them, the wait to meet President Paylor wasn't long because Effie didn't think that she could handle any more waiting. It made her nervous and jittery.

"Haymitch, Effie," President Paylor nodded, extending her hand to each of them. "I truly apologise for this but I can only spare you fifteen minutes. I have a Council meeting."

"Oh, no, please don't apologise. We're the one who should be thanking you for sparing us time out of your busy schedule," Effie rushed to say.

"Of course I would see you both. We are friends, are we not? I heard about what happened. What can I do to help? If it's within my power, I will try to assist you with it."

"We were at the Family and Justice Building earlier today to find out why custody isn't even granted to either one of us," Haymitch began. "All they're telling us is that the information we're after are strictly confidential."

"All we have to go on with is what's written on the letter sent to us; that we are not fit to have custody of the children because…. of our past," Effie said, distressed. "As their parents, any information pertaining to our children should not be kept from us. This is not fair."

"I heard," President Paylor nodded. "Haymitch did have a reputation for being a drunk."

"They can't hold my past against me, Eileen," Haymitch frowned, foregoing all formalities. "I haven't been drunk since the children were born. They're going to investigate my drinking habits? Is that it?"

"No, they're going to do a background check on you, including everything you've ever done so far, and if you are a danger to your children."

Haymitch snorted in derision.

"Is that going to include the fact that I killed children when I was sixteen because the Capitol made me? Or that I was part of the Rebellion? You see how ridiculous this is?"

"Haymitch," President Paylor clasped her hands together and looked at him. "Those are extenuating circumstances. They should not and would not drag that into their investigation, but should it ever come up, I _will_ vouch for you. What are they saying about you, Effie?"

"I am not of sound mind to care for my children; that my imprisonment and torture during the war had left a great effect on my well-being which is impacting the way I live my life. Apparently, I am in no state to be a mother."

Effie bowed her head as her fingers traced the bracelet on her wrist. _If only I had been stronger, if I hadn't relapsed then they wouldn't know –_

"She's doing well," she heard Haymitch said. Effie raised her head to look at him. "She's receiving treatment, talking to her doctors. The last time she had an episode was when the boys were one years old. Look Eileen, when we signed on the custody agreement, the Registrar said nothing about us not getting custody. This investigation came out of nowhere. Something must have triggered it and I want to know why. I need your help. They can release that information to us on _your_ authority. We need to understand what's going on. I'm not going to lose my children without a fight."

"Of course," she nodded. "You'll contest this. Ask for a custody hearing. That's the only way you can prove your case. Get evidence – medical records, for example."

They waited while President Paylor wrote them a letter, authorising them access limited to the issue of custody from the Family and Social Services Department.

XxX

Haymitch did not want to wait until the next day so they took a taxi back and saw that the same clerk was still on duty. Effie was glad for it because it meant that they would spend lesser time trying to explain their situation again. If there was ever a reason to hate bureaucracy, this was it. The red tape was frustrating.

"Hello, again," he smiled. "What else can I do for you?"

"I want to know who filed the report for an investigation to be launched," Haymitch demanded, cutting straight to the chase. "You're gonna give it to me."

"Sir, I've already told you that I won't be able to –

"Yeah, I heard you the first time. Confidential, was it?"

"That's right."

"The President didn't think so," Haymitch sneered, slapping the paper on his desk.

"You – You went to the President?" he gulped. "Please hold a moment, I'll get my superior. She would be better able to handle your request."

"You do that," Effie waved him off, "and do it quickly. You've wasted far too much of our time already."

The clerk scurried off.

"I want to go home to my babies," Effie said tiredly as she sat down on the chair while waiting for the clerk to return. "We should probably call Felix and tell him that you've appointed him and Johanna as legal guardian."

"Yeah, we probably should," he nodded but Effie could tell that he was distracted.

"Miss Trinket, Mr Abernathy, this way please," the clerk gestured for them to follow him. They were led down a hallway to an office. The lady behind the desk had a kind smile and she gestured for them to take a seat.

"I can't refuse the President's order now, can I?" she said. "This is an unusual case, I hope you understand. If there was an agreement for a joint custody, it will most likely be granted. In fact, it was granted in nearly all of the cases that came to us. If there wasn't, sole custody is awarded to one of the parents. We do not think it is healthy to the child's development to grow up away from both parents."

"Then we're already on the same page," Haymitch said. "So can you rectify the problem?"

"I wish it was that simple, Mr. Abernathy, but you see, a report has been filed to say that neither of you are suitable to have custody, care and control of your children. We take such report seriously and the investigation is done to ensure that the children can grow up in a safe, healthy and conducive environment. We place the child's well-being above all others which is why we suggest that the legal guardian be someone that you trust and someone that the children are familiar and comfortable with"

"Your investigation is not going to reveal anything," Effie said. "We're their parents and we have raised them to the best of our ability since the day they were born. We have cared for them and provided for them. We cherish and love our children."

"I do not doubt that, Miss Trinket, but it is our duty still to ensure that everything is proper. Now, it says here that you wish to know who filed the report, am I right?"

"Yes," Haymitch answered.

"I will make a copy of his report for you. Do I need to remind you not to do anything that will break the law? You are not to go after him or confront of him on this subject."

 _His,_ Effie's brows crinkled.

The report was handed over to Haymitch. It was only after they had left the building and was standing on the side walk that Haymitch opened the file.

"Son of a bitch," he swore loudly. People stared at him. "Son of a - Where does he live?"

Effie was alarmed by his reaction. She plucked the file out of his hand and flipped through the papers, looking specifically for the name of the person who had reported them. Her heart sank when the person's identity became clear to her.

_Elias Lewis._

"Where does he stay, Effie?" Haymitch growled. "I'm going to break that bastard's neck."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote this chapter bc I didn't want to have Effie so shocked by the news that she fell apart and didn't know what to do. I want her to be worried and anxious, but still very much involved in whatever is going on. So i hope you like it!
> 
> Thanks for reading and leave a review!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Cars drove passed them in flashing beams of headlights while empty taxis honked at them as they stood on the sidewalk. Haymitch waved them away, letting the drivers know that they were not waiting for one.

Next to him, Effie paid none of that any attention as she continued to stare at the name on the file.

"Elias," he heard her whisper. "Elias."

"Give it to me," he closed the file, taking it out of her hand. "It's him, sweetheart. You're not reading it wrongly."

Haymitch opened it again and flipped through the pages until he found Elias' address in the city. It was not far from where they were, he noted. He raised his head, his gaze falling on Effie.

"Listen, I want you to go home," he told her. He flagged a passing taxi. "There's something that I need to do first."

That caught her attention. Effie turned towards him, a frown on her face. Haymitch did not waver.

Something must have frightened her, perhaps the coldness in his grey eyes, because Effie grabbed the front of his shirt.

"No," she shook him until he looked at her. "I know what you want but you are not going to see him. I forbid it. You're not going to do anything to him. What you'll do now is to come home with me."

"This isn't really the time to protect him, sweetheart," he snarled. It sounded ugly in his ears. He shouldn't be angry with her. He wasn't angry with her but he couldn't keep it out of his voice. "He's not your family. That man has done so many –"

"I know what he's done," she said firmly. "I don't care about him, not anymore. I care about you and what will happen to you. Did you stop to think about it? Did it cross your mind that nothing good will come out of it if you march up to his house and let your anger get the better of you? What will it achieve, Haymitch?"

He closed his fingers around her wrist and gave her hand a soft tug. Still, she refused to release her hold on his shirt.

"He won't be the one to suffer the repercussions. You will and I will not allow it. We look after each other, Haymitch, that's what we do and I don't -" Effie inhaled a breath and squeezed her eyes shut, blocking everything out just for a second to calm her nerves.

"Hey," he brushed his thumb across her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open again. Effie gave him a small, reassuring smile. "You told me not to lose it in public because it'll be used against me. You're about to lose it and I will not have it. Don't be rash, Haymitch. I know you're angry. I am, too, but I won't have you thrown in jail for assaulting him. It's not worth it. I can't… I can't do this alone. I need you. Please, I need you with me."

Haymitch swallowed thickly and dropped his hand to his sides. He turned away from her, unable to face the truth of what she was saying.

"I want to make him - " he broke off.

He couldn't say it out loud, not to her. Effie had seen his Games. She knew what he was capable of and she had never judged him on it because she was aware that he had no other choice but now… He didn't want her to know the violent urges and thoughts crossing through his mind. He wanted to hurt Elias. He wanted to make him pay for everything he was about to put his family through. His fingers itched for the knife that he no longer carried around with him. For Effie's sake, Haymitch quelled the urge to put it in Elias' throat for what he had done to his children. His children shouldn't have to suffer because their uncle had a vendetta against their parents.

His hand shook. Effie slipped her hand in his and held on to him. She pressed her palm against his cheek, and kissed him, softly and gently until she felt him calm down.

"He'll pay for it. Maybe it won't be today and maybe it won't be from you but the day will come when whatever he's done will crash back on him. Let's just go home. It's been a long day. Let's go home, Haymitch. The children will be waiting for us and tomorrow…The officers will come for them. We should…. We should spend our time…."

The thought of what would happen tomorrow made his heart race and made the anger spike up again. Haymitch gritted his teeth. He knew Effie was right. He should spend this night with her and his children, not waste it on a vermin like Elias.

XxX

Tristan and Ethan had no idea their father was in the city and with it being a mid-week, they were not expecting him either. When they saw him entered the house with Effie, they were ecstatic beyond measure.

"It's Wesnesday today!" Ethan said, looking up at his father.

Haymitch laughed at his son's confusion.

"Wednesday," he corrected, lifting the boy up to nuzzle his cheek. "I wanted to see you and Tristan."

Years ago, it would have been odd to see Haymitch initiating contact but it was normal nowadays, especially with his sons. Usually, the sight of it made her heart swell but not today. There was a sharp, piercing pain in her chest to see Haymitch with a child in his arms and his nose pressed against his son's cheek. Her heart ached to see him drop a kiss on Tristan's head all the while knowing that they had been denied the rights to care for their own children.

Johanna must have sensed the tense atmosphere because she refrained from making any snide remarks about Haymitch's display of affection for his sons.

"How'd it go?" she asked instead.

"Give me a minute, Jo," Haymitch said.

He brought the children's building blocks out of their room and set it down in front of them. "Listen, I want the two of you to build me a house. We did it before back in Twelve with Prim. You remember how? I'm gonna have boring old people talk with your Uncle Felix and Aunt Johanna but when I'm done, I'm gonna come back and see if you two got a house for me."

The children needed to be occupied while they explain to Felix and Johanna of their newly appointed roles.

"Like our house, dada?" Tristan asked, biting his lip, a trait he picked up from his mother.

"Yeah, like our house with a blue door. You can use that rectangle block for the door. You know how a rectangle looks like, don't you?"

A deep crease appeared in between Ethan's brows as he struggled to remember his shapes. He raised his hand and hesitantly pointed a block out. Haymitch was sure he only got it right because blue was his favourite and he would recognise the colour.

Effie was already in the kitchen preparing a pot of tea when he joined them. Felix was pouring himself a glass of whiskey but when he saw Haymitch, he poured another for him.

"What happened?" he asked as he passed Haymitch his liquour. "It doesn't look like you've settled anything."

Haymitch shook his head, taking a sip of his drink. He sank on the chair across from Felix.

"Spit it out," Johanna frowned. "If none of you have custody then what the hell is going to happen to those kids out there?"

Effie and Haymitch exchanged a brief look. Leaning forward with his elbows resting on the table, Haymitch answered, "I named you and Felix as their legal guardians."

He slid the papers stamped with the Court's approval across the table to them. Johanna snatched it up, her eyes scanning the documents before she handed it over to Felix.

"You want _me_ to be their legal guardian? You're insane. Effie's always saying about how I'm a bad influence on your kids," she snorted.

"Are you both sure about this?" Felix asked. "I don't understand… will someone please tell me how it came to this?"

"The Family and Social Services will proceed with the investigation before they advise the Court if we should have custody. They claimed it's in the best interest of the children… that the children should grow up in a healthy, safe and conducive environment," Effie began talking. Haymitch did not feel up to the task of doing the explaining so he slumped in his seat. "We had to appoint a legal guardian or the Social Services will take the children and place them in another suitable home until the investigation is completed."

Effie told them everything from their difficulties trying to get any kind of information from the authorities to meeting President Paylor and finally to them finding out about Elias.

"Oh, dear lord!" Felix breathed out. "I cannot believe –"

"You're fucking kidding me," Johanna exclaimed. She turned her body sideways to address Felix. "Can't you do something about your asshole of a brother? How are you two even related?"

"I ask myself that question every day," Felix said, resigned. "I'm sorry. I really am. If I had known that he - I should talk to him."

"You shouldn't apologise for what he's done," Effie stated, not allowing him to argue on that point any further. "I think it's fruitless trying to talk to him. He's always been stubborn. In fact, it's better if you don't, Felix," she glanced at Haymitch for his opinion. He gave her a curt nod. "Elias doesn't need to know that we're aware it was him who filed the report."

"There has to be something he wants," Johanna suggested. "Why would he make a report otherwise? If Felix can find out what he wants then maybe you can get him to admit to the Social Services that the report was falsely file. There's no smoke without a fire," she shrugged.

"This isn't the first time. He reported me to the Council before, claiming that my work in trying to get the law repealed has to be illegal," said Haymitch.

"I know my brother," Felix interjected. "If he wants something out of this, he will make it known by now just like when he wanted you," his gaze shifted to Haymitch, "to give Effie up to Klaus in return for –"

"What?" Johanna interrupted, confused.

There were only a handful of people who knew about the deal Elias tried to get Haymitch to make and Johanna was not one of them.

"That's a long story," Haymitch told her. "Felix will tell you that one later – ask him. So what are you sayin' now, Felix, that there's nothing your brother wants?"

Effie's eyes darted between the pair of them. She held on to her cup of tea to stop the shakes.

"Nothing other than to spite you," Felix surmised. "It's sick and twisted but that's him. My brother, he's…. Elias always gets what he wants and when he doesn't, he gets ugly. He's your best friend while he tries to get you to do what he wants you to do but the moment that doesn't work out, he grows a pair of horns. When I was five, he locked me up in the basement for hours until my mother found me and that's because he wanted all of my chocolate when I've already shared half of it with him. I've never forgotten that incident."

"He told everyone at school not to attend Effie's sixteenth birthday party just because he was angry with her," Felix glanced over at Effie and offered her an apologetic smile. "She did something that he wasn't happy about. When our grandmother asked him what he had done, he twisted everything to make it seem like it was Effie's fault."

Haymitch knew little about Effie's life growing up in the Capitol. While they were working together during the Games, he was simply not interested. The lesser he knew about his escort, the better. When they were married, there were only bits and pieces about her past that she told him. He couldn't imagine a sixteen year old Effie Trinket in her new wig and custom made birthday dress sitting alone waiting for the guests that would never turn up. That probably was the source of her nightmares before she was tortured by Snow.

He touched her hand and laced their fingers together.

"My brother's a snake," Felix went on. "He's doing this just for the satisfaction of seeing you snivel at the bottom in desperation. He wants you to go to him and beg him to make it stop. That's the only way he'll stop. He likes to stand tall and feel superior to everybody else. He'll probably come to you soon just to let you know it was him who made the report. He'll gloat about it and if you want him to retract it back, you beg him."

Haymitch scoffed. "That's the last thing I'll do. I'm not begging from him."

"Not even for our children?" Effie whispered.

"There are other ways to get our custody back. We don't have to beg him for it. That investigation isn't going to reveal anything. We don't have anything to worry about."

"He's manipulative, Haymitch."

"And I'm telling you," he gritted his teeth, "that everything will work out. You need to trust me, sweetheart."

"I do. I'm not doubting you, I'm just… worried," she squeezed his hand. "Felix, Johanna, we apologise for not discussing the arrangement of legal guardianship with you beforehand but … We really do need your help."

Felix's eyes softened.

"Of course," he reached across and patted her hand comfortingly. "We'll help, darling, but… I don't know much about how to care for children. If you want me to spend time with them, read to them, draw with them or take them shopping, I can do all that but what you're asking… I'm worried."

"Don't be! We're just a phone call away. If there's anything… any questions at all, no matter the time, you can call. I want you to call. Tristan and Ethan are good children. They know how to behave and how – "

"Effie… Breathe," Haymitch laid his hand on her back to calm her. "They're not strangers. They know how the children are."

"Yeah, Trinket, we're not strangers," Johanna smirked.

"They know how to use the bathroom," Haymitch addressed them. "You just gotta keep an eye on them. You don't have to worry about changing their diapers or anything like that 'cept at night. Wouldn't want them wetting the bed, would we?"

Johanna snickered, throwing Felix a grin when he winced. The thought of the children soiling anything in his house made him wrinkle his nose.

"We would have appointed Katniss and Peeta but with things as it is right now, I feel that it's better for us to remain in the city to handle the investigation and all the paperwork. I want my children near me."

"You'll be staying here then?" Johanna asked Haymitch.

"Yeah, that's the plan. I'll be here until everything's settled. I want this over as soon as possible and once that's done, I'm bringing them all back to Twelve."

His statement was unexpected especially to Effie. The cup of tea hovered mid-way to her lips. She turned her head to look at him, blue eyes reflecting her confusion.

"Your home is in Twelve," he claimed. "It's been your home for the past five years. That's where our children should be, Effs. They were born there so they should live there. When we get our children back, I'm keeping us all together."

"Haymitch – "

"That's what I want," he cut her off, dropping his voice to a whisper so that only Effie could hear him. "You asked me to think about what I really want and I'm telling you now – I want all of us back together. That's what I want for us. It should have always been that way."

Effie placed the cup back on its saucer carefully. Time had a way of slowing down to a trickle in moments such as this. Effie said nothing except to run her finger over the rim of her cup in an absentminded gesture.

Felix and Johanna left to give the family time to spend the night together, not that Effie noticed now that she was deep in thought.

"Haymitch, what you said – "

Haymitch interrupted her again.

"It wasn't a good time to tell you, I know. It's not a good time to discuss it either," he shrugged, "but I just wanted to you to know."

She pursed her lips, pushing herself off the chair to stand in front of him.

"You really do have inappropriate timings," she whispered softly, her lips inches from his. Her fingers were splayed against the side of his neck as she stroked his jaw. "We need to work on that."

Haymitch didn't bother to dignify what she said with another comment. Instead, he circled his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.

XxX

Haymitch could hear his soft footsteps running across the floorboard. He heard the bed creaked and the covers rustle.

"Brush your teeth," he told Ethan and poked his head out of the bathroom to see a lump in the middle of Effie's bed. Tristan was under the covers, hiding.

"Get out of there, peanut," Haymitch tugged the covers gently. "You're gonna suffocate."

Tristan grabbed the covers as Haymitch tugged on it. He grunted just as Effie entered her bedroom. She pressed her finger to her lips.

"I got this," she nodded towards Tristan. "You get Ethan ready for bed."

Haymitch shrugged and went back to the adjoining bathroom to see Ethan using his toothbrush to scrub the toilet seat. Haymitch snatched him up and pried the toothbrush out of his hand, throwing it into the bin. He helped the boy rinse his mouth, grumbling under his breath.

"I left you alone for _one_ second and you're washing the toilet?"

"I saw mama! I wanna clean, too," he pouted.

"She was using a different brush, tiger," he sighed.

In the bedroom, Haymitch saw Effie throwing the covers back to reveal her son grinning up at her.

"I found you!" she exclaimed and tickled his sides.

Tristan's laughter filled the bedroom until Effie climbed into bed and slipped under the covers next to her son. He curled next to her quietly.

"I sleep here," Tristan declared.

Effie gasped and pretended to be shocked by it which made him giggle. "You want to sleep in this bed?"

Tristan nodded.

"Me too!" Ethan said excitedly, wriggling in Haymitch's arms.

"The both of you in my bed?" Effie frowned. She tapped her chin, thinking about it before she extended her hand to beckon Haymitch over.

"These rascals will keep you up all night," Haymitch teased. He swung Ethan back and forth and then threw him gently on Effie's bed next to his brother.

"You, too, dada!" Ethan pulled on his father's hand until Haymitch was sitting at the edge of the bed. "We sleep together like at home."

Haymitch hesitated because it was never that simple. Things were not as they once were. He had not slept in the same bed as Effie since the law.

"Should I sleep in your bed too, sweetheart?" he raised his eyebrow, his tone teasing.

"I - I'd like that," she blushed. "Make room for your father! We'll all have to squeeze into this bed."

His eyes lingered uncertainly on her but when she pulled the covers and looked up at him expectantly, Haymitch didn't question her. He stretched on the bed next to Ethan.

Haymitch closed his eyes, finally allowing himself to rest just for a moment after the stress of today.

Ethan laid his head on his father's extended arm, using it as a pillow. Haymitch was half listening to Effie telling the boys a bedtime story when he felt her fingers playing with his own. He cracked an eye open to look at her. She smiled at him.

The children were already asleep. They were taking up most of the space, pushing Effie and Haymitch to the very edge of the bed.

"Today's the last night we'll be together as a family," she whispered. "I don't know when else…"

He retracted his arm carefully from under Ethan's head and pulled a pillow to cushion the boy. Haymitch reached out to brush Effie's hair back from her face.

"Don't think about tomorrow. We're all here tonight – that's what counts," he yawned. "The next few days – weeks, maybe – will be difficult and when that happens, you hold on to tonight."

"I'll still have you. I can face anything if you're with me. I'm not walking through this alone."

That spoke volumes to him.

They didn't have to be married to stand resolutely by each other's side. He would never let her go through this on her own and he didn't think he could face it alone either. Effie needed him just as much as he needed her.

On their own, they had each faced things in life that was far worse than Elias. Now that they have each other, they could handle anything.

"You'll never have to walk alone," he promised.

 


	10. Chapter 10

** Chapter 10 **

Revenge was a peculiar, unexplainable emotion. It lingered on a person's mind or at least his, until something was done. Otherwise, he would just obsess over it for days, weeks and months to come. Elias Lewis could bear a grudge but he would prefer not to take his to the grave. He would rather serve it instead of letting it fester in his soul like an infected wound or gnaw at him to the point of distraction.

There was no need for him to be burdened by such troubles so he did exactly that - he served his revenge.

Elias signed the paper with a flourish and pocketed one of his most prized possessions, a pen gifted to him from his late father. He trusted that pen more than anything or anyone else. It had gotten him business deals and it had also destroyed lives of those who had irked him just like Haymitch and Effie had.

A slow smirk spread across his lips, contorting his face into an ugly mask filled with spite and malice. Elias slid the paper to the woman sitting across the table and steepled his fingers together as he watched her log the report into the system. It was only when all that was done that the need for retribution eased slightly from his mind.

Elias was almost childlike in his glee when he left the building. He had no doubt that Haymitch and Effie would contest his report and call for a custody hearing. Truth be told, he was looking forward to the show; an alcoholic and a mentally unstable woman fighting for custody? He wanted to laugh.

It would be a great disappointment to him if they did not ask for a custody hearing because then, all of this would have been for nothing. He wanted to see them grovel on their feet, scrambling to get their children back. Who knows really but the stress of it might send that arrogant man back to his bottles and his cousin… well, she might just fall apart. Wouldn't that be grand?

He chuckled as he inspected his perfectly manicured nails.

Although, since they were family and he did not have many of that left, he supposed, he could find it within his heart to be generous. He would retract the report if, and only _if_ , they come to him asking and begging for him to do so. He had always loved it when people beg. It gave him such immense pleasure to see the look on their faces.

It was a given that his foolish little brother would take their side once they found out it was him who filed the report. Elias had such high hopes for his brother but that boy proved to be such a disappointment again and again, just like Effie. Felix had always been the black sheep of the family but ever since he started to spend more time with that barbarian from the district, his behavior had reached the point of no return. Elias clenched his fist. Not only had Haymitch manipulated his cousin, he had also taken his brother from him.

None of it mattered now. They would lose their precious children just as he was about to lose everything.

He couldn't wait until they found out that it was him who had filed the report. It would be exciting. In the meantime, he would wait. All of this was proving to be a worthy distraction from the debacle his ex-wife was pulling over him.

The maniacal grin vanished from his face at the thought of that greedy woman going after all of his money and properties. She was beyond reason and it reminded him why revenge was important. At the end of it all, he would emerge victorious and those who had tried to ruin him – Thalia, Haymitch, Effie and Klaus – would be ruined just as well.

XxX

Haymitch propped his head on his elbow as he traced a finger down Tristan's nose. He touched the palm of his son's hand and just as he had done the day he was born when Haymitch visited him at the NICU, Tristan curled his finger around Haymitch's. It made him smile.

"What are you thinking?" Effie asked quietly. She mirrored him and propped herself on her elbow to face him.

"The day he was born," he answered before he could stop himself.

It was becoming more frequent how he would tell her the first thing on his mind each time she asked what he was thinking about.

"They still don't know the story of how you rushed down to the hospital in a hovercraft," she told him with a teasing smile.

Haymitch chuckled.

"I'm surprised," he lifted his eyes to look at her, "especially since you _love_ tellin' them stories -"

"From a book but maybe one day, I'll tell them stories about us."

"Yeah? Like what? I don't think how we met or how we ended up married would make for a nice story."

"I'll tell them about the time I was pregnant with them and you sat with me on the bathroom floor with a plate of crackers and honey or that time when you left me barefoot in the middle of our backyard or when we went to District Four and you first felt them move in the middle of the sea."

He remembered every single one of those. It had been years but it was seared into his memories. Those were good days, not necessarily good when it happened, but it was good now. It was an easier time.

"Do you think we'll get another shot at – "

"Of course, we will," he cut her off. "They're our children. They belong with us."

There was little else to say after that so Haymitch began to disturb their sleep in an attempt to wake his children up. He ran his finger in circles on Ethan's stomach until the boy squirmed in his sleep and whispered in Tristan's ear about a lonely princess in a big castle.

"You're talking about me," Effie hissed.

The longer he looked at them, the more Haymitch realised how innocent his children were. He didn't know how they were going to break it to them that they would have to stay with Felix and Johanna. They were too young to be suspicious and they looked up to Effie and Haymitch with nothing but trust in their eyes.

Tristan and Ethan never thought to question why they were allowed to laze around in bed past nine in the morning or why their mother said nothing when Ethan kept jumping up and down on the bed as he tried to escape from Haymitch's death lock. They never questioned it when Effie settled back in bed with a large bowl of cereal or that she was feeding them breakfast in bed instead of ordering them to the kitchen as she normally would.

"No berries?" Tristan asked, frowning.

"We ran out of berries, darling," Effie said, coaxing Tristan until he opened his mouth to be fed.

Haymitch leaned against the headboard with Ethan sitting on his chest, trying to pry his mouth open so Effie could feed him, too. Tristan was laughing and clapping his hand, egging his brother on.

"It's soggy," Haymitch grunted when Effie jammed the spoon in his mouth.

Effie licked the spoon, smiling at him indulgently and he reacted without thinking much about it. Haymitch reached for her and tugged her forward, squashing Tristan in between, to give her a chaste kiss. He tasted milk and honey cereal on her lips,

Tristan made a disgruntled noise and wriggled in desperation to break free.

"No," Ethan scowled unhappily. He pushed his father away, shaking his head. "No, no!"

"This one's always so jealous," Haymitch whispered, giving her another kiss knowing that it would aggravate his son.

"Come here, baby," Effie laughed, beckoning Ethan over. "I'll give you a kiss, too."

Effie nuzzled her son's cheek, kissing him all over and then she leaned over to give Haymitch a long, drawn out kiss just to hear Ethan whine in protest.

"We have to go soon," Haymitch said quietly.

Effie raised her eyes, acknowledging him but she wasn't in a hurry to usher the children out of bed to get them ready.

"Where we're going?"

"Uncle Felix's," Effie answered.

She tried to put on a smile but the way her voice cracked at the end made Haymitch reached out to take the bowl from her and placed it on the night stand. Without a word, she stretched out against Haymitch, laid her head on his chest and watched as their children did the same.

"Five minutes," Effie said, running her fingers through Ethan's hair.

"Five minutes," Haymitch agreed.

XxX

They were driven to Felix's house by two officers from the Family and Social Services Department. They had introduced themselves as Troy Holden and Ella Griffins, and that they had been assigned to work on the case.

Tristan and Ethan sat in between their parents at the back seat across from the two officers. Tristan, the more introverted of the two, buried his face in his father's shirt when one of the officers smiled at him.

"Hello," the officer greeted, turning his attention to Ethan. "I'm Troy."

"Hi," Ethan beamed at him. "I'm Ethan Abernathy. I'm four years old!"

"Four? You're a big boy then?"

That made the smile of Ethan's face spread even wider. He nodded happily.

"Mama said I'm a big boy now. Tristan, too. We're growing bigger and heavier."

Effie shook her head, glancing over at Troy and Ella. At the mention of his name, Tristan resurfaced and watched this interaction curiously.

"Do you want some?" Ethan offered Troy the fruit salad from his snack box. "I can share."

The offer was unexpected but Troy picked up a grape and thanked the boy. "You have amazing children," Troy commented.

"Yeah, and you're about to take them away," Haymitch snapped, the bitterness dripping from every word.

If Troy was startled by it, he did not let it show. Effie was quick to cover Haymitch's hand with hers, a comforting move and a silent warning for him not to complicate things all in a single gesture.

"I understand your hostility, Mr. Abernathy, and right now, you may not trust us but I can assure you that we do not like this anymore than you do. I have seen how you are as a family and I do hope we can work together for your children's sake. I've read the report filed against you and Miss Trinket, and what I'm seeing now is not someone the report has painted you to be," Troy said, carefully avoiding any labels especially in front of the children. "I have seen you on television for years – the person I saw before the Rebellion and the person you were during the time you tried to end the law are two different people. I really believe that if you contest this matter, they will be able to see that you've changed."

Haymitch grunted and turned his attention out of the window. It was making him uncomfortable that a person he barely knew was making such observation about him. He was glad for the change in topic although by this point, with Ethan trying to feed him some fruits, Haymitch was barely listening to Troy.

"I understand that you'll be able to see your children on weekends – that's the arrangement - but if you wish to visit them on any other day, you may call either one of us and we'll try to work something out. That's what I hope we could do – for all of us to work together – and I really hope this gets resolved as soon as possible for your children's sake."

"Thank you," Effie said politely at the same time that Haymitch grumbled under his breath about not discussing any of this in front of the boys.

They soon arrived at Felix's building, rendering any need for small talk unnecessary. Once they were let in to Felix's apartment, Troy and Ella were given a tour of the house by Felix and left the family alone to talk with Felix and Johanna, asking questions and explaining to them their role as legal guardians.

It gave Effie and Haymitch some time with their children. They brought the boys to the living room and sat them down.

"You'll be staying here with Uncle Felix and Aunt Johanna for a little while," Effie said as Tristan handed her his shoulder bag. "It's a sleepover. You've never had a sleepover before, have you?"

"What's that?"

"It's like a… party where you get to sleep at someone else's house. You get to do fun things, hopefully," Effie began explaining.

She tried to put on a smile for her children but it was getting much more difficult to do so by the hour.

Tristan tilted his head to the side, his mind turning over Effie's words. "With you and dada? You sleep here, too?"

"No, my little prince," her smile faltered slightly at his question. "It's just going to be you and Ethan. Dada and I will visit you on Saturday."

Tristan frowned and pinched his lips. Effie glanced at Haymitch helplessly, a plea for him to intervene. Fearing a meltdown, Haymitch knelt in front of his son.

"Hey, it's going to be just for a while, maybe a few days," he said, forcing the words out. Haymitch didn't know how long it would take and the fact that he was lying to his son left a bitter taste in his mouth. He hated himself right then. His children trusted him and he was breaking that trust. "You gotta try to have some fun, a'right?"

That did not seem to satisfy him because Tristan started to shake his head stubbornly. "I'll ask Uncle Felix and then he'll… he'll let you and mama sleep here with us then we can all have fun together!"

"I can't, peanut," he gathered the boy and kissed his head. "I can't. I've got some work to do but I promise that mama and I will visit you on Saturday. Do you want me to bring anythin'?"

"Then I don't wanna sleep here," he pouted, locking his arms behind his father's neck. "I come home with you."

"Tristan," Haymitch pried him away. "You gotta listen to me. Uncle Felix and Aunt Johanna will look after you while you're here. You're only stayin' here for a few days and then you come home. That's all – just a few days. Can you do that for me, peanut?"

_More lies._

Tristan's sweet, angelic face morphed into one of consternation and Haymitch knew he lost the battle.

"You always make me wait for Saturday!" he broke into tears and threw himself on the sofa. Tristan buried his face on the cushion and refused to look at Haymitch. "I don't like it! I don't like it! Why'd you always leave me?"

Haymitch heard Effie's sharp intake of breath. His own heart felt like it had been stabbed and he didn't want to see the look on Effie's face. Haymitch remained frozen, staring at Tristan's meltdown. He saw Effie reaching out trying to take Tristan into her arms to comfort him but the boy would not budge.

"Tristan," he swallowed and brushed the boy's hair back from his face. His son's continuous sobbing was painful to hear. "Come on, look at me, peanut. Tristan -"

Tristan scrambled off the sofa when he heard Felix's voice and ran straight for his uncle who picked him up and patted his back comfortingly.

"What's the matter, darling?" he asked, looking over Tristan's shoulder at Haymitch. "Why are you crying?"

Throughout all of that, Ethan watched everything quietly, a rare feat in itself, and when he finally decided to speak, it was to deliver a blow to his father.

"Why you make him cry, dada?"

"I didn't – "

"Ethan!" Effie gasped. "Of course, your father didn't mean to… You can't say such things to your father," she tried to be stern but even she couldn't muster it. In the end, she sat on the sofa and pulled Ethan onto her lap. Haymitch sat on the coffee table facing them although his eyes kept darting over to Tristan. "You'll make Tristan feel better, won't you, baby?"

"How?"

"You can play with him, make him happy. Maybe read a book together? I've also packed your swimming costumes in the bag. If Uncle Felix doesn't mind bringing you to the pool, then you and Tristan can go swimming but if Uncle Felix says no, then it means no, okay?

"You're not angry with me are you, tiger?" Haymitch interjected, the need to know was overwhelming. He couldn't have his children hate him. He couldn't. They were everything to him.

Ethan shook his head.

"You're very silly! Dada, you're my favouritest person!" he laughed and hugged Haymitch, giving his father a wet kiss on the cheek. "How many days till Saturday?"

"It's Thursday today," Haymitch replied, burying his face on his son's hair. "Not long."

"Okay," Ethan nodded.

Haymitch let him go and Effie enveloped her son in a hug. "Be good! I love you," she squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears. She did not want him to see her cry. It would only make it worse. "I love you."

"I love you, too!"

Haymitch stood up and walked over to Felix who was trying to calm and coax Tristan to at least say goodbye. But Haymitch knew his son, and he knew just as how stubborn he could get when he was in one of his moods. Tristan clung to Felix, pressing his face against his uncle's neck, sobbing uncontrollably.

"You know if I have choice, I won't ever leave you or your brother," Haymitch whispered in his ear and kissed his head. "You know that I love you both. Don't hate me too much, peanut."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The abundance of energy that was always present in the form of their children plunged the house into an eerie stillness, which only grew dire as the days stretched.

Effie had been restless and anxious for the past two days especially since Haymitch had stopped her from calling Felix the first night home. It was not something he wanted but something that he had to do. With Tristan acting the way he was, her phone call would only make the situation worse.

"If Felix's managed to calm him down, you calling him will only remind the boy that we're not there," he had tried to explain.

She had taken to moving from one room to the other, never stopping long enough to stay. He found her in the children's room that night, sitting at the edge of Ethan's small bed with his pillow pressed to her face.

"You gotta eat somethin'," he entered the room.

Haymitch took the pillow away to give her a plate of sandwiches. She pushed his hand away, turning down the food but she gladly accepted the cup of tea he had brought with him.

"I miss them," she whispered, sipping on her piping hot tea.

He missed them just as much. It was not easy for him but admittedly, Effie was having it worst and it was difficult for him to see her this way. For the past weeks, over five days each week, he had learnt to live on his own without his children but Effie had never been apart from them, not even for a single day since they brought the boys home from the hospital after they were born.

"Not eating isn't gonna help much," he said flatly, trying to get under her skin.

If she was expecting him to agree with her, she was mistaken. Her eyes flashed at his lack of empathy and Haymitch sat back, feeling triumphant. A part of him knew that she wanted to vent in anger and given the right moment, she would. Perhaps this was it. He waited for that burst of irritation but Effie merely pursed her lips.

"I'm not going to argue with you," she said simply. "I know what you're trying to do. You want me to rage and fight back. You want to see me with some spark instead of sitting here missing them but I _won't_ do it. You're not going to bear the brunt of it because this isn't your fault. I'm angry and I'm frustrated, but I won't take it out on you even if that's what you want me to do. I'm not giving up, I'll fight but not with you - we'll do this together."

Haymitch watched her put a lid on her emotions and buried it deep inside of her. He thought she might explode so he gathered her in his arms and held her tight. That must have been what she needed. His touch became her undoing as Effie slumped against him, giving in to her exhaustion and leaning on him for strength.

"You said… You said you wouldn't let him harm our family," she mumbled against his neck. "You promised me that when we found out what Elias wanted with me."

"I won't let him," he told her firmly. Haymitch cradled the back of her head as he placed his lips next to her ear. "Nothing's going to happen to us."

"But it has, Haymitch. He's taken our babies away."

He growled under his breath but placed a finger under her chin to tilt her head up.

"Can't think that way, sweetheart, you can't let him get to you like that," he said. He maneuvered them so they were lying on the children's bed, stretched against each other with their feet dangling at the edge of the short bed. "Keep your chins up."

Effie was quiet as she stared at the ceiling. Her hand was on his chest, feeling the steady beating of his heart.

"Do you remember when Ethan was two…? He hugged Dasher so tight around its neck that the goose pecked him on his shoulder."

There was a low rumble as Haymitch began to chuckle at that memory.

"Yeah," he nodded, propping his head on his arm. "I remember that. That's how we came up with the name – the goose dashed out from his grasp. It must have been what sealed that friendship. Ethan was bleeding, wasn't he? But he wouldn't let you tend to it. I remember you shoutin' his name, calling him back but he just kept runnin' after the damn goose."

She laughed and Haymitch was glad for that no matter how brief it was. Effie was recounting old tales trying to hold on to the sweet memories of her children. There was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind, a voice whispering to his consciousness that Effie was making it seem as though they had completely lost their children but Haymitch knew that was how she was trying to cope with the feeling of missing them, and who was he to say otherwise?

"He's always keeping me on my toes. You asked once which child would most likely break his arm falling from a tree and my money is on Ethan."

"I never take you for the betting kind but," he lifted his head to look at her, "I'm surprised he hasn't broken any bones _yet_."

"Hopefully never," Effie grimaced. "Tristan… He would crawl over to you and lay his head on your chest if he's upset. It's adorable how attached he is to you."

"Upset?" he snickered. "You mean whenever he wants to go to sleep, don't you? He's got to break that habit or he'll have trouble sleeping with girls later."

"Haymitch! He's still too young for you to be thinking that far ahead."

XxX

Haymitch stirred when he felt her thumb stroking repetitively against his cheek. He blinked his eyes open, taking in his surroundings. They had fallen asleep on the children's bed and his body was paying the price that morning. His legs were aching and his back needed a good stretch.

"Did you sleep at all?" he asked, bringing her hand away from his face to lace their fingers together.

Effie adjusted her position, snuggling further against him and draped her arm over his mid-section.

"I woke up before you did and then I realized that I don't have to get the children ready for breakfast," she chuckled bitterly. "They're not here."

"Sweetheart…" he sighed, tiredly. He cupped her face, tilting her head up to look at him. Haymitch brushed her hair away and kissed her lips, once, twice until her eyes fluttered close.

"I don't know how you did it when you were in Twelve," she wondered, mostly to herself. "It's so quiet without them."

Haymitch had no desire to revisit the overbearing feeling of loneliness that he felt without Effie and his children each time he returned to Twelve so he bunched the edges of her thin shirt in his hand and pushed them up, exposing the skin of her stomach. He kissed and nibbled, swirled his tongue around her belly button and licked her skin until she started squirming.

"You're trying to distract me," she pointed out, falling back on the bed as he towered above her.

Without answering, Haymitch rubbed his rough stubble on her stomach, watching it contract in response. Effie pushed his head away, laughing uncontrollably. She was always so ticklish.

"Stop," she gasped. "Stop it, Haymitch!"

He did as she asked and sat on his knees. There was an unmistakable fondness in her blue eyes as she stared up at him, chest heaving in an attempt to get her breathing under control.

"Come on," he pulled her up, grinning. "We've got things to do."

He was already at the door of the children's room when Effie pulled him back.

"Thank you," she smothered him with a kiss, "for making me laugh… especially when things are so bleak."

Haymitch blinked; his mouth slightly agape in confusion. He had lost count the number of times he made someone laugh because of his drunken and foolish behavior, but this was different. He made her feel better and it made him proud.

He carried that feeling even as he was showering only to have it shattered at the sound of a distressed cry. He wrapped a towel hastily around his waist and rushed out, grabbing a knife without a thought from the kitchen.

"Effie? Effs!" he shouted for her, eyes wild as it darted around the house. "Sweetheart?"

If there was someone in the house, his shouting would have drawn their attention away from her towards him which was what he wanted. But his worries were unfounded. There were no intruders, only Effie kneeling on the living room floor with the morning paper clutched in her hands.

"What the hell?" he growled, discarding the knife away. "Get off the floor – what are you doing there?"

Effie turned, looking a little hysterical. A sinking feeling settled at the pit of his stomach. His eyes dropped to the paper.

"How did they know?" she waved the paper. "How else would they know if Elias had not leaked it to the press? That bastard!"

Haymitch snatched the paper from her. He could barely conceal the frown when he saw the headline – ** _Custodial battle of the Abernathy Twins: How will it end?_**

The front page ran a photo of their family taken during one of their visits to the City back when Haymitch was still working against the law. He read the first paragraph which gave a background of them losing custody of the boys pending an investigation and then crushed the paper, throwing it into the bin without bothering to read any further.

"Everyone will know!" she shrieked, rounding on him. "Did you read what it says? They'll think we're terrible parents - that I'm a terrible mother!"

"I've said it before, Effs – don't bother about what people think."

What he said went over her head. She ignored it altogether as she went into another frantic tirade.

"Why else would a mother lose custody of her children unless she's bad at her job? This is horrible – they've taken my babies away and now they're telling lies!" she covered her face with her hand. "What if this will affect what the Court thinks?! We're not bad people, Haymitch. We're just… I'm not a bad mother. I'm _not_ a bad mother. We're not horrible parents."

"That's enough," he raised his voice to get her attention.

He was losing his patience. Having to hear the words "horrible" and "parents" in the same sentence especially since it was coming out of her mouth made him want to claw at his throat. How many times had he doubted his parenting abilities? How many times had he remained awake at night wondering if he was doing a good job with the boys and if he would be a good father? Too many times.

"Enough, Effie! You need to shut - " He breathed in deeply. "You're not… You're not a bad mother _or_ a terrible mother. You're far from that."

Effie kept her eyes on him as he came to a stand in front of her.

"Those people … They don't know you like I do. They never saw you with the boys or saw how you are with them but I did. And from what I saw, sweetheart, you're pretty damn good at being a mother," his lips curled into a smile. "I don't say it often but I'm glad… I'm glad it's you – you're the only person I want to be the mother to my children."

He heard her sharp intake of breath and saw the surprise on her face before she closed the distance between them, circling her arms around his neck to hug him fiercely. He was right, of course, he was. People would always form assumptions but it was _his_ opinion that matter the most to her - only his.

"You've got nothin' to worry 'bout," he assured her.

Effie nodded but didn't let go of him.

"You're not a drunk," she spoke with her lip next to his ear. Effie ran her fingers through his hair. "You've changed so much and you're so good to them. They're so, so very lucky to have you as their father, to have you love them without condition, and I'm proud of you."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is mainly focused on Haymitch and Effie, and I wanted to write them dealing with not having their children around. Next week we'll see them answering some questions for the twin's custody. Also, the newspaper article might have some impact on them – so stay tune!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The phone started ringing off its hook, one phone call after another.

Felix rang to warn Haymitch of what was in the morning paper and for him not to let Effie read the same, only to find out that he was too late.

"Stop trying to protect me," Effie said when she took the phone from him. "Where are my babies? Can you put them on the phone?"

"They're still sleeping, darling," Felix told her. "If you want… I can wake them up; tell them you're on the phone."

"No, no," Effie shook her head. "Don't disturb their sleep. Send them my love, Felix, give them a good morning kiss from me."

The next phone call came from District Twelve. The time difference between Twelve and the Capitol meant that neither Katniss nor Peeta had received the morning paper yet but they wanted to catch them before Haymitch and Effie left for the Family and Justice Building. Katniss wished them the best and told Haymitch not to do anything he would regret.

"I know you," she said. "We're very much alike and if anyone tries to take my daughter from me, I would -"

"Effie's here - she wouldn't let anything happen," Haymitch assured her.

Effie spent some time talking to Peeta, telling the boy not to worry so much about them or the children.

"I miss those two," Peeta laughed. "Prim, too. She kept asking after them. It's been a couple of months since you left Twelve with the boys after the law was dissolved. We haven't seen you since then. Talking on the phone just isn't the same, you know?"

"Yes - I miss Twelve just as much," Effie said quietly, leaning against Haymitch who wrapped his arms around her shoulder. He propped his chin on her head, listening in to the one-sided conversation. "It's not the same without you, Katniss and Prim. Some mornings, I expect to see Prim sitting on the breakfast table with the boys but …"

It made Haymitch smirk. He had an idea on what they were conversing about. It had become a practice for both families not to lock their doors during the day since the twins had a habit of wandering over to the Mellarks' house to play with Prim, and Prim would do the same, sometimes having her breakfast or lunch with the twins.

"Katniss has been taking Prim on train rides; not very far, just a district away to get her used to travelling by trains. We're progressing. It's slow but there's some progress. We were thinking of visiting. You'll tell me when will be a good time, yes?"

"Oh, Peeta," she sighed.

Katniss and Peeta avoided travelling to the City if they could help it. The City held nothing for them except bitter memories so for them to agree to this meant a lot to her.

Plutarch's call came as soon as the conversation with Peeta ended. He cautioned them of the possible paparazzi at the Family and Justice Building, and as if Haymitch needed reminding, "don't talk to the press – give them nothing. You open your mouth and they'll twist your words," he said.

Just as Plutarch had said, they were accosted by reporters, hungry for a piece of news in their gossip columns and talk shows. Haymitch grabbed her hand and led the way, shouldering past the crowd. They made their way inside the building without saying a word where they were greeted by Troy and Ella, the officers in-charge of their children's welfare.

"This way," Ella led them to an office where she gave a brief report to her superior, a judge, on the children's situation.

Haymitch and Effie confirmed the same - Tristan and Ethan were in the custody of their legal guardians – and was given a reassurance yet again, that the children's interest was of paramount importance to the government.

With that done, the officers assisted them with the necessary paperwork to contest Elias' report and filed for custody to be returned to them, or at least, to one of them.

Haymitch signed the bottom page of the paper and slid it over to Effie. "So what now?" Haymitch asked.

"Now," Troy grimaced, "is the part you'll hate. We're going to start on the inquiries. The Court and the Family and Social Services Department work hand in hand, as you know. They will want _every_ possible details and facts. This way you don't have to appear in court and take the stand. Since we're the officers in charge of Tristan's and Ethan's welfare, typically, we'll be the ones to conduct the inquiries. There will be personal questions asked, naturally, so, if you wish to have other officers that can be arranged."

"I'll be more comfortable with you and Ella," Effie said. "Haymitch?"

"No preference."

"Excellent. If that's the case, may I suggest heading back to your house? Or do you have some other place in mind? We would prefer to conduct the inquiries in an environment that you're at ease in."

With cups of tea and a plate of biscuits on the coffee table, they began. To the best of their abilities, Troy and Ella tried to make the inquiries feel more like a friendly conversation. Effie truly appreciate the gesture but she could not shake the memories of being place in a room with questions about the Rebellion repeatedly thrown her away under threat of bodily injury and total isolation.

"Why don't we start with Haymitch?" Troy suggested, noticing the way Effie's hand crept over to Haymitch's to hold on to it.

"Yes," she nodded. "Please."

It started off relatively easy to ease Haymitch into it; how would you describe your children? How do you feel when they were born? How do you feel about them now? What are their favourite food, toys, and activities? How often do you spend time with your children?

He answered it all. It was calming, in a way, to just talk about his boys. He knew them and his feelings for them were genuine. There was nothing to hide. In fact, there was a certain pride swelling in his chest when he talked about them.

"You're doing well," Ella encouraged.

"Now is where it gets difficult. You ready?" Troy asked to which Haymitch shrug. Would he ever be ready? It was better to answer them and get it out of the way. "We need a little background to understand the situation and yourself better – so at what age did you start drinking?"

Haymitch clenched his jaws and resisted the urge to leave. He had never liked having his past probed into and as testament to that he hardly ever talked about it even with Effie. It was no surprise that Effie was watching him, curious and wary. She squeezed his hand in a silent encouragement.

"Was it after your Games?" Ella asked.

"No. I was fine for a while after my Games – I'm using the word loosely. Must have been sometime after my family's death," he answered. He stared at the space between his knees, his eyes following the patterns on Effie's rug. He could feel their gaze on him, boring holes. "Few months after, probably, I was... nearly eighteen - picked up my first bottle then and never stop."

"You grew dependent on it?"

Haymitch raised his head to look at Troy straight in the eyes. "Am I an alcoholic? Is that your question? I've got a bottle glued to my hand almost every day from that point on, so yeah, I am."

"You were," Effie corrected him. "You're not that man anymore."

"Did you ever try to stop?"

"On my own - no. It ain't that easy. I had no reason to. It was helping, y'know? It dulled things 'round me, made me stop _thinking,_ " his voice was gruff. His throat felt raw as if someone had scratched it to force the words out. He had to remind himself that he was doing this for his children. "It wasn't until Peeta came around that I tried to cut down on it for the first time and then again, in Thirteen."

"It didn't work?"

Haymitch scratched the stubble on his jaws. "That was the time building up to the Rebellion. I was busy. I had something to occupy my mind and my time. As long as I do, the need to drink isn't so strong. It takes the edge away but after the war, there was a period - couple of years in between - when there's nothing. Nothing at all; I was just there back in Twelve, existing. I picked up the bottle again."

They nodded empathetically, noting his answer down in their file.

"Earlier, you said that you had a bottle in your hand almost every day but has that change since your children were born?"

"Yes," Effie answered.

"I need him to answer the question," Troy smiled.

The silence and the time it took for Haymitch to formulate an answer prompted Troy to ask him again.

"How often do you drink, Haymitch? Say, in a week?"

"Every day," he answered truthfully. "Since the kids were born, they kept me on my toes. They kept me... busy. But I drink just enough to stop the shakes."

"An entire bottle?"

"A glass, maybe two, sometimes"

"And before? Before the children were born?"

Haymitch snorted. "I can't tell you the days of the week. Two, three bottles in a day, maybe, could be more. Wasn't keepin' count."

"He has changed a lot," Effie ventured to speak and when Troy didn't stop her, she went on. "He had five years to change. Like he said earlier, it wasn't easy to just _stop_ but he's managed it. He's still managing it, in fact. We started it gradually; we cut back on his drinking, and even that was a struggle. We're talking about changing something that has been a way of life for him for more than two decades - Thirteen nearly killed him - and we agreed that he couldn't go through another cold turkey."

Haymitch sat next to Effie without interrupting her; letting her talk and allowing her to speak up for him. He never had anyone did that for him before, all of his fights were his own but even that had changed.

"When I was pregnant, we talked about cutting down on his drinking. I can't have him stumbling around the house intoxicated. So we watered down his alcohol or we find something with a lower alcohol content than his vodka and whiskey. As the children grew older, having two boys kept him busy so Haymitch didn't really have the time of the day to sit and drink like he used to. There were playgrounds to go, a lake to swim in, geese to feed, afternoon walks in the wood with Katniss' daughter... He's usually the one involved in the kids' outdoor activities."

"They're a handful," Haymitch nodded in agreement. "Ethan especially - he's an active kid."

"Whenever he has tremors or if something happened that made him need to have a drink, he'll drink in my presence so I can tell him if he's having too much. It's a system that we worked out and it helped him a lot. I'm proud of him," Effie told them but she was looking at him. Her eyes were bright and sparkling when she smile. "He couldn't control his drinking before but that's not the case anymore, and for me, that's a major change. Maybe one day, he wouldn't need a drink to stop the shakes."

Everything that Effie said went into the file. There were more questions - some intrusive, others uncomfortable - but Haymitch weathered it through and answered each one of them.

 _Did he drink in the presence of Tristan and Ethan?_ No.

 _Had he ever been drunk while he was responsible for them?_ Again, no.

Haymitch told them the arrangement he had with Effie; for her to lock him down in the cellar if he was ever drunk at home.

"How did that arrangement came about?"

Effie glanced over at Haymitch and he shrugged.

"He – It happened years ago, when the children were still just babies. He was under a lot of stress with the law… and his new role as a father. He started drinking. Peeta took him away until he was sober again. I told him that I would never allow him anywhere near our children in that state and Haymitch… He ordered me to lock him away if it ever happened."

"Has it happen again after that incident?"

"No," Effie answered. "I never had to lock him up. That was the first time and the last time he was drunk since the children were born."

"That's good, that's good," Troy said, scribbling the information down. "I just have one last question. I'll have to apologise in advance but it is necessary that we ask this of you. Now, Effie mentioned earlier that she would not let you near Tristan or Ethan if you were intoxicated which is understandable, of course, so what we need to know is, have you ever in any way acted in a violent manner towards your children? So much so that you've made them scared and terrified of you."

His fingers curled tightly over Effie's hand. His face had hardened, jaw clamped tight with his teeth grinding against each other. His eyes flashed briefly when he heard the question.

The fact that the question needed to be asked felt like a slap to him as a parent, but he forced the air into his lungs and loosened his grip on Effie, who to her credit, did not wince from the pain.

"I've never hurt them. I'll never hurt them or lay a finger on _my_ children. If there's anything that I can tell you with conviction, it's that."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, you get'll Effie! I could put it together but I think it'll be too much to take in, so Effie's questioning will be in the next chapter and we'll see the twins again, hopefully.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The break was a welcome reprieve.

Haymitch could hear Effie talking quietly to Troy and Ella outside before Troy excused himself from the house to have a smoke break.

He splashed cold water over his face, releasing a breath and then inhaling deeply once again. He couldn't deny the sense of relief he felt now that his questioning was over even though he knew that that was just the beginning. His answers would still be reviewed by the necessary people. There was no way for him to know how he would measure up to their standard, and if his answers would be enough for them to judge him suitable to be a parent once again.

That brought a scowl to his face. Haymitch gritted his teeth, fingers clenching tight the edges of the marble sink.

Nobody should have the right to judge either his or Effie's ability to be a good parent to their _own_ children. If anybody was allowed to judge, it was Ethan and Tristan, no one else.

The bathroom door opened and closed behind him, followed by Effie's soft footsteps.

"You're tense," she spoke quietly, resting her hand between his shoulder blades.

If he was tense now, it was probably best that she didn't know how he was before.

"Aren't you?" he asked, looking at her through the mirror. "It's your turn after this."

Effie wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheeks on his back.

"I wanted to check on you," she said, letting his question slide. "Why are you hiding in the bathroom?"

"Who said anything 'bout hiding, sweetheart," he said, keeping his tone light as he turned around in her arms. He leaned back against the sink. "I just … needed a moment."

"You need to calm down," she whispered, listening to his erratic heart beating in his chest. "It's over. For you, at least."

"You think I did okay?"

Effie pulled back slightly to look up at him, surprised at the uncertainty in his voice. It was rare for her to get a glimpse of this side of him. She brushed her thumb over his cheek and smiled. "Yes, you did great. There's nothing to worry."

Haymitch exhaled, shoulders sagging in relief.

"What you did back there... Those things that you said 'bout me...They're..."

"If you're trying to say thank you, then you're welcome. But you should know you don't have to - we're a team remember?"

His eyes fell on the golden bangle she wore on the same wrist as his mother's bracelet.

"'Course we are," he mumbled.

The corner of her lips lifted upwards into a happy grin, beaming at him as she raised herself to kiss him sweetly and gently on the lips. A wave of warmth filled him up, rushing through every corner of his body. He tightened his hold on her to kiss her back.

They took their time kissing each other, forgetting just for a small moment what they were going through. He welcomed the distraction, allowing everything to melt into the background as he kissed her with a single minded focus and by some unspoken agreement, Effie did the same. It gave him strength and made him feel invincible to know that come what may, they would face it together. He felt himself slowly unwinding and he held her close, anchoring himself to her.

When they broke apart and he saw her gazing up at him with affection in her eyes, he dipped his head again to kiss the corner of her mouth. He couldn't stop himself. He knew how she tasted and how her kisses were but he couldn't get enough. Haymitch wondered if she knew the power she held over him to be able to annoy him at one moment, support him in the next and calm him down with a touch or a kiss. He didn't mind it at all. That thought would have sent him running years ago but he had come to terms with his feelings for her - he had months to do so; months spent alone in District Twelve to know that the realisation he had the night the law was dissolve was not a fluke or a phase - and he no longer doubt that he did indeed love her.

"All that I said... It's true. I'm proud of you, proud of the person you are now. You've changed so much for our children - for us - and they would be very proud of their father. You are their hero, Haymitch. Ethan and Tristan have nothing but the greatest admiration for you and I'm –"

"Never wanted to be anyone's hero," he chuckled, lips curling into a faint smile. He cupped her face, fingers splayed across her cheek. "You should be proud of yourself, too, sweetheart. Don't downplay your role. You helped - persistent, stubborn and steadfast - got you this, didn't you?"

He winked.

Effie's delighted laughter, a mixture of amusement and pride, filled the room, evaporating the tension that had been present since they returned home.

"I love you, Haymitch," she said once her laughter had tapered off. Effie covered his hand on her cheek. "So much."

"I know," he nodded and dropped a kiss to her forehead. "Now, are we gonna talk 'bout what's gonna happen once we go back out there?"

If she thought he didn't notice how she easily avoided his question earlier, she was mistaken. She was his wife for five years. There were things that he noticed; little sighs and smiles, the way the corner of her eyes crinkle when she was amused or the way she pursed her lips when she was trying hard not to lose her temper with her children.

"You did just fine, Haymitch."

"It wasn't easy, Effs, you know it."

"But you did, so I can, too," she said adamantly. "You worry too much about me - don't."

"Don't?" he snorted. "Doesn't work that way, sweetheart."

She sighed in defeat.

"Listen," Haymitch tilted her chin up. "They're gonna ask personal questions - you already know that - but some of it... They're gonna trigger some bad memories. You got to be strong. I need you to. I'll be right next to you like you were for me but if it's too much, you ask them to stop - " he put his hand up to silence her when she opened her mouth to protest "- _if_ it becomes too much for you. We'll continue it on another day."

"I'll be fine," Effie's eyes flashed with determination. "The longer we put it off, the longer our children will be away from us."

Effie stepped away from him and glanced towards the door.

"We should go. We've been here long enough." His hand on her waist made her stop in her tracks. She turned, eyeing him over her shoulder. "What is it, Haymitch?"

His silvery grey eyes were fixed on her, studying her quietly. Her resolve was admirable but it did nothing to quell the surge of protectiveness that reared its head when it came to matters concerning her or his children. He wanted to walk out of this bathroom and fill her shoes. He would answer those questions on her behalf if she let him but he knew she wouldn't. Protecting Effie was an intricate dance – he was never good at dancing but he was a fast learner – and he had learnt that there would be moments when she would need protection. There were also a myriad of instances when she proved that she could stand up for herself, and she would never appreciate him stepping on her toes.

She was her own woman, so Haymitch backed down. He would be there to catch her should she stumble but otherwise, it was best to leave her be. Except sometimes, she was too blind to see if something was harming her.

"You protect the people that matter. I couldn't protect those I love before but I can do it now," he said gruffly. "I can't just _don't_ do it, sweetheart, it doesn't work that way, you understand? If it looks like it's too much for you to take I'll put a stop to it. It doesn't mean that I think you're weak, it just mean… It just mean…"

Effie's face was frozen. She stared up at him with mild confusion and guarded hope reflecting in her irises.

"Are you saying what I think…"

"I love you," he let the words rolled from his tongue slowly and carefully, foreign from disuse but it carried a sincere affection and meaning in every syllable.

It was a stark contrast against the rush admission after the law was dissolved. She had thought it to be a manipulation on his part to get her to stay in Twelve with the children. He held his breath, desperately needing her to believe him now. He had no agenda, nothing up his sleeves except for a desire to let her know that he reciprocated her feelings and he had for a long time now.

Her expression thawed over. Effie gave him a smile so genuinely sweet it made his throat tightened and his breath hitched. Then to his confusion, she began laughing and crying at the same time.

"Haymitch," she sighed his name into his neck as she pulled him into a hug. "I think I might cry."

"Don't," he said. "What would they think if you come out with your eyes red?"

"That I'm happy – people cry when they're happy, it's not a foreign concept."

He rolled his eyes but held her tight.

"I don't," he retorted.

"Unfortunately, that isn't true," she released him, a slow smirk spreading across her face. "When you finally made it to the hospital and I told you we had a baby boy, you cried then."

"Did I?" he raised an eyebrow only to drop his voice when she crossed her arms and glared at him. "Don't tell the boys that. They don't need to know."

"That deep inside you're a softie? Your secret is safe with me," she said with mock seriousness before sealing her promise with another kiss.

"Hmmm," he hummed and broke off the kiss before it could lead to something else. "Come on, sweetheart, they're waitin'."

Effie didn't move. She stood in his way with a silly grin on her face that made him want to kiss it away. "Say it again," she requested. "I want to hear it."

He sighed, knowing that sometimes it was useless to argue with her and it would be so much easier to indulge her at times. Now was one of those times. "I love you," he said it, firmly and with conviction, liking how it sounded the second time round.

"You've made me so very happy - I won't forget this day," she vowed and he didn't think he would either.

Haymitch guided her by the elbow towards the door and that was when she looked around them. Her shoulders started to shake as she laughed. "It _had_ to be in the toilet, though, didn't it, Haymitch? Always the romantic," she teased.

XxX

Effie's questioning started out the same way as his. She was asked the same set of general questions involving Tristan and Ethan, and her feelings for them before the questions evolved to those tailored to her case.

"The report that was filed says that you are - I quote - mentally unstable which makes you a risk, unfit to have custody of your children. Do you agree with what it says?"

"No, of course, I don't," Effie refute. "I gave birth to my children four years ago and I think… I think I've done a good job at being their mother," she glanced over at Haymitch and he gave a curt nod. "I'm not a risk to them, mentally or otherwise. My children are not afraid of me or of Haymitch, and they have no reason to be."

"From what I've seen, they don't look like frightened children," Troy reassured her. "As part of our investigation into you, we have taken a look at some of your records - your background information, your family history, your employment history and also what happened to you during the Rebellion."

Effie shifted in her seat, her mind conjuring up the image of her file, the same file Haymitch smuggled right under her nose and peruse in his attempt to help her which had now since been handed over to Plutarch to be archived.

"And your questions are pertaining to my imprisonment?"

"Yes - well, no. We're more interested to know how your experience in prison impacts your life on a daily basis and in that vein, the lives of your children."

Haymitch's eyes darted away from Troy to Effie, watching her reaction to that question carefully. Her fingers danced across her lap before she covered them with her hands.

"There are... There are things I've seen and things done to me during that time that I could never forget, and it manifests itself in the form of nightmares, sometimes random bouts of flashbacks and panic attacks. They were severe during the first few years after the war."

"How frequently do you have these nightmares or flashbacks?"

Her laugh was twisted with derision. "That's not a question I can give you a proper, definitive answer to. It's difficult to say, it's not something I can control."

"Am I allowed to jump in here and answer that question?" Haymitch asked, leaning forward slightly in his seat and when Troy gestured for him to proceed, he said, "While we were married, I noticed that her nightmares became more frequent or got worse when she's under a lot of pressure; the first few nights after we got married and she relocated to Twelve or when the tabloids printed articles 'bout her or when weren't allowed to bring the children home after she gave birth. It's those kind of things."

"Or when certain time of the year comes around -," Effie added, "- the day when the Reaping were usually held before the Games were destroyed, for example. With Haymitch and my children around, I seldom have nightmare anymore. It has reduced in terms of frequency. They keep me grounded, they keep me… They keep me focused."

There was a slight pause. The only sound was the scratching of pen on paper as the officers noted Effie's answers down and when they were done, the questioning resumed.

"How about your panic attacks? How bad are they?

"They're the same with my nightmares – there's usually a trigger. As to how bad it is…. Crowded places makes me feel trapped but being alone in an extremely quiet room throws me back to my… time in prison. When these happen, my palms get sweaty, my heart rate increases, it's difficult to breathe but as long as I remove myself from that situation, I'll usually calm down. But with two growing boys," Effie managed a laugh, trying to keep the situation light despite the questions, "a quiet house is difficult to come by, and if it's quiet, there's something that they're up to."

Troy chuckled. "My mother used to say the same about me and my sister! Quiet means trouble. Now, Effie, when was the last attack - are you able to tell me?"

Her brows crinkled, trying to remember.

"Morning the law was dissolved – when she read about it in the papers," Haymitch answered. "Nothin' since then."

Ella smiled at that but Haymitch thought he could see a hint of condescension when she asked, "And how can you be so sure of it, Haymitch? You've been living separately since the end of the law."

"He calls me every day to check on us and find out how we are," Effie countered. "I tell him everything and if I had an attack, he would know."

"Very well," Ella inclined her head, accepting the answer. "Now, has your panic attack ever been so severe that it renders you incapable of looking after your children?"

"You know the answer to that," Effie said quietly. "That was the basis of the report that Elias filed."

"I need you to tell us," Troy spoke softly, encouraging her. "Take your time, there's nothing to rush."

Haymitch reached out and squeezed her knee, "it's alright, sweetheart. You should tell them."

It was something she regretted as surely as he regretted missing out of Tristan's birth and because of that, Haymitch had never brought it up. He never wanted her to feel as if she should be blamed because he knew if it things had been different Effie would have been present.

"I missed their first birthday. I couldn't celebrate my children turning one because I was… I was not well," she whispered. "I was locked in my room for days and days on end, and I couldn't … I wasn't there for them."

"She makes it up to them every year. The cupcakes gets more outrageous as the year pass," Haymitch smirked.

"It was a rainbow cupcake, Haymitch," she said in exasperation. They had argued good-naturedly about the cupcakes before and it was the right topic because the fire was back in her eyes. "There's nothing outrageous about it."

"Rainbow cupcakes was all the rage last year, if I recall, and rightfully so – they are aesthetically pleasing," Ella chimed in enthusiastically, effectively taking Effie's side.

Effie tilted her head at Haymitch, all smug and victorious. On any other day, he would take a jab at her and tease her but today, he allowed her this moment. It was good to see her this way when they were in the middle of an emotionally gruelling questioning.

"Who cared for the children during that period?" Troy asked, pulling them all back on track.

"It fell on Haymitch to care for them on his own. He rose to the occasion and he did everything – cared for me and for his children. It must have been difficult for you," she turned towards him, bright blue eyes shining with apology.

"You're giving me too much credit," he joked. "Katniss and Peeta helped where they could."

"Haymitch told me every _single_ day that the children needed me and that they missed me. He'd talk to me at night after putting the children to sleep. He'd bring the boys to me every morning to remind me of what I have and what was waiting for me. Without Haymitch and without my children, I would be in a very bad state. He pulled me out and the thought of my two babies gave me the strength to get out of bed each morning. Haymitch didn't just stop there – he got me help and because of that, I never had any relapse as bad as that one."

"I couldn't see her that way – I had to do somethin' but it was mostly all her," Haymitch shrugged when Troy and Ella looked at him, waiting for him to refute or confirm Effie's story. "She'd tell you she was lost but that's not true. She wasn't lost, not to me. She was always there. I just needed to remind her of who she was. She stumbled. That's all. But she fought her way back to us all on her own – you gotta give her that," he gestured at Effie. Haymitch had never spoken highly of anyone and he wasn't in the habit of giving praises lightly but Effie deserved every bit of admiration that he had for her. "Never missed a session with her psychiatrist, did everything he asked her to do, took her meds till she didn't need them anymore. She did everything to get better for the boys."

"Your psychiatrist… It says here that you've been receiving treatment from Dr. Exton?" Troy clarified, consulting his notes.

"Yes, that'll be correct. I still call him once a week just to talk to him. He's been very helpful especially recently when I moved back to the City, and I needed to talk it out. He's become a family friend."

"Are you aware of this?" Ella addressed the question to Haymitch.

"That she talks to her doctor? Yeah, I knew," Haymitch shrugged. "It's good that she does."

"Earlier you said that you never had a relapse as bad as three years ago. Does this mean that you did have some kind of relapse after that incident?"

"No," Effie confirmed. She said it with confident and with pride. "No, never had a relapse. What I had was what I told you earlier, just small moments of anxiety during the morning after the law ended. I'm sure we all had them at some point in our lives, moments when we're unsure of the future and it gets to you."

"Excellent, that's good to know. You're doing so well, Effie. We're nearly reaching the end," Ella informed her. "I'm going to ask you the same question we asked Haymitch earlier today – have you ever acted in a violent manner towards the children that would put them at risk of physical, psychological and emotional harm?"

The answer was already at the tip of her tongue when she froze. The memories flashed through her mind, throwing her back to a time years ago in an inn at District Two. Her eyes trailed over to the kitchen and Haymitch followed her line of sight to see that she was looking at a pair of scissors, and it clicked for him. He knew what she was thinking. He could see that scene playing in his mind's eyes clear as crystal – Effie with a scissors clutched in her hand that was raised above her head. He saw himself turning his back to her, shielding the children from harm. That scene was seared in his mind and he was very certain that it was the same for her.

Haymitch saw her worked her jaw, trying to get the words out.

"No, never happened," he answered on her behalf. His fingers curled over her warm palm, a silent move to assure her and to warn her not to say anything.

It was a lie but it was merely _one_ incident. Nothing of that sort had ever happened again. The children were too young to remember it or to feel fear and he had been there to stop her. He could say with some measure of confidence now that there would not be a repeat. Effie was different than she was before. She was better at handling her emotions and she was not a slave to her memories any longer. She had learnt to sift the memories from reality, just as Peeta had. It took years but they had progressed so much since then.

"I won't hurt them," Effie said firmly. "I could never forgive myself if I did."

There was a calculating glint in Troy's eyes as they darted over the pair of them. Haymitch leaned back in his seat with an easy smile, the same smile he put on when he needed to be charming for sponsors. Next to him, Effie mimicked his stance. They had played this game for years and somewhere along the way, without them ever taking notice, they became a well-oiled machine.

Effie placed the cherry on the cake by saying, "I might have scared them when I raised my voice at them or their father in exasperation. It wasn't intentional but sometimes they do drive me up the wall. I could spend the entire morning cleaning the house only to have them make a mess in a blink. Ethan loved his geese and when he's done playing with them, he would run back into the house with mud on his shoes and Tristan, once, coloured the walls with his crayons. We had to have it repainted which was a whole new set of mess and nightmare. Can you imagine the trouble those two get into? Haymitch indulges them but someone has to set the rules and maintain the discipline in the house and that person is me."

"No one can teach you how to be a parent," she spoke, "but I learn as I go and my children have taught me tremendously. They taught me to be selfless, to always place their needs above mine, and to love unconditionally. I never thought it was possible to love anyone more than myself but they taught me that. My children are the best thing to happen to me. It's a rewarding career," Effie shrugged, and smiled. "I just want them back. _We_ need them back with us."

That at least, was not a lie.

Ella capped her pen and closed her file which prompted Troy to do the same.

"One last question," Troy said despite Haymitch thinking that the questioning was over. "Off the record but in the interest of you children, what are your plans once custody is returned to you? Will the previous arrangements remain? Haymitch, will you be returning to Twelve and making weekly trip to visit to your children?"

"I want them all back in Twelve. That's where home is but it's something that Effie and I need to talk more about," he glanced at Effie out of the corner of his eyes. "Right now, our focus is in getting our children back."

"Don't get us wrong, it's just that we've seen the way the both of you acted towards each other throughout this questioning," Ella gave them a smile, trying to word her next sentence carefully, "and it looks like you're very much happy together. I don't wish to assume anything, of course, but I believe it will be in best interest of your children to have their family together. That would be the ideal scenario but it's not necessarily practical with some family, especially considering the circumstances of your marriage. It's understandable if you don't wish to renew it."

"We – We haven't talked about it. After the law was repealed, we just needed some time apart to think over it and then this happened. Like what Haymitch said, our children are more important right now, but we love each other and we love our children, so…" Effie trailed off. "Please, just get us Tristan and Ethan back."

_We love each other…_

That sounded pleasant to his ears. Effie had never said it like that. He had never given her a reason to until today.

"I understand, of course. We hoped custody will be returned to you, too, but that is not up to us. We're only allowed to give our recommendation together with our report for review. In the meantime, that should be all for today. There will be other officers who will be taking statements from people you know," he informed them, "for purposes of collaboration, to make sure all the stories add us. We have a list of people to interview on hand but in the spirit of fairness, is there anyone in particular that you want us to talk to in order to strengthen your case?"

Troy and Ella could not divulge the names of the individuals on their interview list so Haymitch and Effie gave them a list which includes Peeta and Katniss in Twelve; Felix and Johanna, although Haymitch was sure they would already have been on Troy's list; Plutarch; Greasy Sae and finally, Dr. Exton to give evidence on Effie's mental health which Haymitch was certain was amongst those already included in the original list.

"One other thing that you should know, your behaviour will be monitored, not while you're in your house, of course, but usually during visiting weekends with your children. You won't notice it. It'll be discreet. We only disclose this on a case to case basis – you're one of the exceptions. It may feel like an intrusion of your privacy but – "

"Do it," Haymitch interrupted. "Do whatever that needs to be done. Hell, I'll even submit to a breathalyzer every day if you really need proof of how much alcohol I consume. I'll do that as long as I get my children back at the end of this."

XxX

Haymitch had been waiting for Saturday morning for days. He parted the curtains to see the street lamps had been turned off as the sun filtered through the clouds and the birds flitted from branch to branch, chirping a sweet melody.

"Wake up," he crawled back to bed to whisper in her ear. He kissed the corner of her mouth. "You gotta wake up now."

"The cereal's in the second cupboard and there's milk in the fridge," she mumbled and turned away from him. "If you're hungry and want breakfast, go. Don't disturb me."

"I'm not hungry for that," he kissed her temple and the tip of her nose before lazily pressing kisses on her lips. "You'll be late. You'll make the boys wait."

"The boys," she shot up, pushing him away in the process. "It's today! We must hurry, Haymitch, oh, they must be so excited!"

Effie was ready in record time and they left the house, heading towards Felix's. When they arrived, Troy and Ella was already waiting at the lobby with the two boys.

"Mama!" Tristan's face beamed with delight and he let go of Ella's hand to skip towards his mother.

Effie lifted her son off the ground and spun him around, laughing happily.

"My little prince," she pressed her face to his neck. "Oh, my darling Tristan, I've missed you so terribly."

Seeing his mother occupied with his brother, Ethan ran straight for Haymitch and jumped on him, rough and without a single care that his father could topple over.

"I miss you very much," Ethan gushed enthusiastically as he framed his father's face with his small, chubby hands. "I want kisses, dada!"

Haymitch couldn't very well deny his son that so he kissed the boy and held him close. "You smell of Uncle Felix," Haymitch grumbled.

Ethan giggled. "Uncle Felix let me use his body butter when he helped me shower today! It's icky – I don't like it."

"Finding out what you like ain't easy, is it, tiger?" Haymitch teased. "Tell me somethin' that you like."

"I like you and mama and Tristan," he pointed out. "I like Dasher and my toys. I like lots of things! But I don't like Aunt Jo singing my night-night song. Not like mama."

Haymitch burst out laughing. "Did your ears bleed when Johanna started singing?"

"Haymitch!" Effie exclaimed when she overheard his question as she came to stand next to him.

It was promptly ignored when Haymitch caught sight of Tristan in Effie's arms. "Hey, peanut," he reached out and touched the boy's back. "You still mad at me?"

Tristan tilted his head before shaking them and stared at his father expectantly. He blinked slowly, long eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks with his thumb jammed into his mouth, a habit Effie was desperately trying to stop.

"So come here then," Haymitch beckoned and Tristan wriggled out of his mother's embrace so his father could carry him.

"What should you say to your father?" Effie prompted.

"'m sorry, dada," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry, too, peanut."

Haymitch spoke quietly to Tristan, glad to have this moment with his son. It didn't take long for Tristan to loop his arms around Haymitch's neck and snuggle up to him. Haymitch rubbed his back. It put him at ease to know that Tristan didn't hate him. It was true what people said, children seldom bear grudges.

"Alright, what shall we do today?" Effie asked, directing the question to her children once they left Felix's building.

Ethan glanced over at his brother and when there was nothing forthcoming, he jumped up and down excitedly on his feet, "I wanna go to the playground!"

"Tristan? How about you? Do you want to go to the playground, too?"

"Dada will push me on the swings?" he asked.

"Yeah," Haymitch answered.

The time they took walking from Felix's building to the playground at the park was filled with Ethan's incessant chatter. He told them stories after stories.

"We went to the pool! It's so big, mama! More big than the lake at our house."

"Bigger," Effie corrected. "Bigger than the lake."

"Bigger," he nodded. "Aunt Jo won't swim. She just watched."

Effie smiled at him. "Maybe she's tired."

"Then we went to see a movie! It's in this big, big, dark room! Uncle Felix said if the lights are on we can't watch. We had to be real quiet 'cause Uncle Felix said it's… it's eti… eti….ummm."

"Etiquette," Effie helped him out. "It's your manners when you watch a movie – how you should behave. Did you write that down in your vocabulary book?"

Ethan nodded again. "We didn't forget our manners. We sat quietly and watch. Can we go again but with you and dada?"

"Oh, that's an excellent suggestion, sweetie. What do you think, Haymitch? Shall we bring the children for a movie next week?"

"Sure," he shrugged. Haymitch had not been paying much attention to Ethan's conversation. He was trying to hold his own with Tristan but the boy had been monosyllabic ever since he had asked Haymitch to carry him, claiming he was tired of walking. "Why are you so quiet, peanut?"

He dragged his eyes lazily to look at his father. "I can see you again tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Sunday, so, yeah – we'll go out again."

Throughout the day, there was an uneasy feeling at the pit of his stomach. He caught Effie looking worriedly at Tristan a few times, too. The child sat with Effie on the bench after Haymitch failed to coax him into joining Ethan on the swings. He watched his father and brother under heavy lidded eyes before eventually falling asleep on Effie's lap.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haymitch finally said it. Yay. I rewrote that bit three times because the first felt like he was sappy, and I didn't like it. I also didn't want to write Effie breaking apart in her interview. I wanted her to be a little vulnerable but strong


	14. Chapter 14

 

**Chapter 14**

The family of four rounded the corner of the street and came into view of a bright neon sign of an ice cream cone.

"Is it that one, dada? I see it!" Ethan tugged on Haymitch's hand to get his attention and pointed ahead.

It was at that moment when a camera flash went off.

Ethan blinked and stopped in the middle of the walkway. He turned around curiously as his bright grey eyes searched for the source. It gave the photographer a full view of the young boy with a grin on his face.

"Look! Someone's taking a photo of me!" Ethan exclaimed, surprised and excited. He gave the usual grin he would give each time Effie aimed a camera at him.

"Keep walking," Haymitch growled under his breath, pushing the boy lightly on his back to guide him along.

"But he's taking a photo of me!"

"We don't want him to take a photo of you. No one should be taking your pictures unless its your mama, your Uncle Peeta or your Uncle Felix. Otherwise, you keep your head down, you keep walkin' and you ignore them, you understand?"

Ethan frowned because that went against everything his mother had taught him. "Why? I can't ignore 'em. Mama says its bad manners to ignore someone."

"Forget 'bout your mother's manners just this once, tiger."

"But _why_?"

"Never mind why - just do as I say."

Haymitch clenched his jaws and glared at the photographer, hoping that that would be enough to send him away. Having been constantly reminded by Effie to lead by example, Haymitch refrained from marching over to the photograph and giving the man a piece of his mind.

"It's okay if you don't smile this time, darling. I won't find your manners lacking at all, I promise. Remember what I once said about not talking to strangers? He's a stranger, isn't he? And besides, he was rude himself to have taken your picture without first asking for permission. It's important to always ask for permission, isn't that right? You can do as dada says; you can walk away this time."

Ethan tilted his head, thinking over it before he nodded. "M'kay."

Haymitch gave Effie a look and she laughed lightly.

"You can't just tell him to do as you say. He's not Tristan. Tristan is more obedient," Effie looped her arm around his as they continued walking. "You have to explain to Ethan, make him understand and once he does, he'll listen."

Ethan who was walking ahead of them was already standing impatiently outside the glass door. The moment Haymitch pushed the door open he skipped inside the ice cream parlour with an excited bounce on his feet and pressed himself on the glass display. His eyes sparkled when he saw all the colourful flavoured ice cream.

"So many!" he gushed, clapping his hand enthusiastically. "I want this one, dada, and that one! Oh, can I have that yellow one, too? Can I have lots of ice cream?"

"You get to combine three scoops - only three," Haymitch said, reading off the sign. "So pick one flavour. Tristan will choose the other."

"But that's two," he lifted two fingers to show his father. "You choose, too?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded as he beckoned Tristan over.

The fact that Tristan had not followed his brother straight to the ice cream display was worrying in itself. They were always following each other around. Tristan had gone with Effie to an empty booth and was sitting quietly with his head on the table. Effie was petting his hair, trying to get him to drink a glass of water.

"Don't you want ice cream?'" Haymitch asked when Tristan did not budge from his seat.

He shook his head and closed his eyes. Haymitch and Effie exchanged a glance.

"Did your brother tell you anything, tiger?" Haymitch asked, hoping the boy could shed some light. "Somethin' he's not happy about? I know your brother's upset about staying over with Felix but did he tell you anything?"

"Ummm… Sometimes he cries 'cause he wants to be with mama. He's always so sad and he doesn't wanna play with me. He's boring," Ethan complained. "Uncle Felix gave him so many colouring books and drawing papers, and he said Tristan can draw pretty clothes on it but Tristan threw it on the floor. Mama woulda been angry! I wish he'd play with me. I don't have friends here. I wanna go back home so I can play on my car with Tristan, and we can race down the street! I wanna play with Dasher and Prim, too. Can we see Finn? I wanna play with Finn, too. I wanna play with _all_ my friends."

Haymitch felt his heart clench at every word. He knew Tristan was having problem adjusting without his parents. Felix had told them but knowing how Tristan's behaviour was also affecting Ethan made everything difficult. He wanted to make things better for his children. He wanted to bring them home but short of explaining the situation to them - which was fruitless since their innocent minds could not quite fully understand it – there was not much that Haymitch could do.

"Sir?" the girl behind the cashier jolted him.

Haymitch snapped out of it only to realise that he girl was waiting for his payment. He paid for the ice cream and helped Ethan carried the large cup of treat back to their table.

"I'll share with you," Ethan said, sliding in next to his brother on the booth. He nudged the cup over but Tristan merely gave it an uninterested glance and shook his head.

"What's wrong with him?" Haymitch asked Effie quietly.

"I don't know. But he's starting to make me worry. He's been quieter than usual and look at him, Haymitch, he doesn't look like he has the energy to do anything at all," Effie fretted.

"Eat! Have ice cream!" Ethan insisted, waving the spoon at his brother. "You must share! Mama said we must always share."

"I don't want ice cream!" Tristan cried, grabbing the spoon and throwing it at Ethan's face.

"Ow!" Ethan exclaimed and retaliated by biting his brother's arm.

Tristan's loud cry attracted the attention of other patrons.

"Stop it," Haymitch barked. He grabbed Ethan away and sat him on the opposite side of his brother at the booth "Get it together. Everyone's looking."

"What is the matter with you both? We're in public," Effie said sternly. "Behave yourselves. We must keep up appearances."

She glanced around surreptitiously, worried that the incident might make it to the news. There was no way of knowing how the media would twist the incident now that they had published the news of them battling for custody of their children.

"Tristan, you can't do that," Effie reprimanded the child. She spoke quietly but firmly. "Your brother was just being nice and that is _not_ how a gentleman acts when he's offered food. You can tell Ethan politely if you don't want something. What did I say about throwing things?"

"We don't get anythin' by throwing things," he mumbled. Tristan turned to face his brother. "Thank you but I don't want ice cream."

"See, isn't that better?" Effie nodded. "What's the matter, baby? You've been very quiet today and Ethan's got your favourite cookies and cream so why don't you want some? Talk to me, if something's wrong I want you to tell me."

"My throat's painful, mama," he said finally, lips wobbling a little.

"Oh, dear, is that why you've been so quiet? Does it hurt when you swallow?"

Tristan nodded.

"Did you tell Uncle Felix or Aunt Jo?"

"No."

"Why didn't you?" Haymitch asked, frowning.

"I was scared," he pouted. "I wanna see you and mama today. I don't want to be in bed. You made me stay in bed when my tummy hurts."

"Tristan, you can't hide..." Effie sighed. "Are you hurting anywhere else?"

"Just here," he touched his throat and he looked visibly upset now that the truth is out. "I can't drink my milk."

"He doesn't have a fever. Otherwise, we would have known he's not well when we touched him," Effie said to Haymitch. Still, she pressed the back of her hand to his forehead just to confirm it again. "Should we take him to the doctor or do you want to monitor him first?"

"It's just a sore throat, yeah?" Haymitch asked again and Tristan nodded.

"I don't like doctors, dada. Please don't take me! I'm scared of them," Tristan visibly started.

"We'll get him back to Felix's. Let him rest. You can give the honey lemon drink you've always prepared for the boys when they're down with the cold, see if it improves."

Effie nodded. "Did you eat too many chocolates? Is that why your throat's hurting?"

"No chocolate or candy," he shook his head. "I swear!"

By the time they reached Felix's apartment, the journey back had already made Tristan cranky. Haymitch settled him into the makeshift bed at Felix's guest bedroom and was trapped in the room when Tristan would not allow him to leave, fearing that if he did, his father would leave him again.

"Why didn't you tell me anything, darling?" Felix asked, brushing his hair back.

Tristan stared at Felix and turned away, burying his face on his father's chest.

"I'm sorry, Effie, I wasn't aware he was not well. I – I'm not sure what to look out for. He wasn't coughing or sneezing to alert me to the fact that he's sick."

"He was afraid he wouldn't be allowed to meet us today if you knew he was sick," Effie tried to appease her cousin. "Here, Tristan, drink this. It will make you feel better. You're a good boy, are you not? Will you drink this for me, please, baby?"

Haymitch shifted the boy in his arms to prop him up. "It's sweet. It ain't yucky. You've had it before."

With Tristan glued to him, Haymitch had no choice but to remain in bed. Felix and Effie provided him with several books to entertain the boy while Effie distracted Ethan by allowing him to help her in the kitchen as she prepared dinner with Felix and Johanna, only to come over every fifteen minutes to check on Tristan, worried and restless.

"He's fine," Haymitch waved her off. "We're reading. You should be worried 'bout those three in the kitchen. One of them is bound to burn the kitchen down."

"Oh, so you no longer think that _I'll_ burn the kitchen down?" she teased.

"Peeta has taught you well. I trust you."

That drew a laugh from her. Effie kissed her son and left the room.

Haymitch turned to Tristan, asking, "You wanna have dinner in bed? Special circumstances, right?"

"Yeah, 'cause I'm _really_ sick," Tristan managed a grin. "We get to eat in bed when we're really sick."

"You're not _that_ sick," Haymitch rolled his eyes, "and let's hope it stays that way."

He flipped the page from the book to resume reading but was interrupted by Tristan.

"Can I tell you my dream, dada? Uncle Felix said it's not real. I dreamt I was lost in the woods behind our house... Just like Goldilocks in that book. It's a really, really scary dream. You were there. And then you were gone, like always. I was so scared 'cause I couldn't find you or mama or Ethan. Are dreams real?"

"Like always?" Haymitch wrinkled his nose.

"You always leave me," Tristan pointed out. He curled further into Haymitch and when he looked up, his eyes were miserable. "Then I got lost in my scary dream. There were mean people. They took me away. Why'd you let them?"

Haymitch sighed. Tristan's dream was rooted in his sense of abandonment and Haymitch hated it. He wanted to tell Tristan that he would never abandon him or Ethan but it was going to be difficult to change it when Tristan was already feeling neglected.

"If you ever got lost, peanut, you can count on me to find you. You wouldn't get lost in the first place if you always remember what your mother said – don't play too far, don't wander off anywhere without us. You remember, yeah?"

He bit his lips, nodding slowly.

"Does this mean I won't get to see you again tomorrow?" Tristan asked, leaving the topic of his dream behind. "Because I'm sick and we can't go out."

"You'll see me," Haymitch assured him. "We don't have to go out. We can stay right here and we'll think of somethin' to do."

"Okay," he smiled, happy with that promise.

"And, peanut? Dreams aren't real. You're not lost. You're right here with me."

XxX

After Tristan and Ethan had gone to sleep, Effie and Haymitch left only to have Felix ringing the house a few hours later, late into the night, to tell them that Tristan was coughing and crying for them. He put the boy on the phone so he could speak to his mother and Effie could tell that his voice had changed because of the nasal congestion.

"He's having flu," Effie mouthed to Haymitch.

"Why'd you go home?" Tristan cried on the phone and it only made his coughing worse. "You lied. You said you and the moon are the same, mama! Where I go I'll see the moon and it'll be with me. Like you'll be but you went home. You're not with me," he sobbed. "Lying is very, very bad."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, baby. I'll always be with you and I want to be with you and Ethan more than anything but it's difficult now, darling. Dada and I are doing all we could so you can come home to us but it will take time," Effie tried to explain even though she knew Tristan could not truly understand it. Her voice cracked a little as she continued to calm her son. "Please listen to me, Tristan. Please stop crying. When you cry, you'll cough harder and it'll make your throat hurt more. Your chest will start to hurt, too. Take the medicine that Uncle Felix will give you. It'll make you sleepy but when you wake up tomorrow, Dada and I will be there. I promise."

"I don't believe you," he wailed and the phone dropped from his hand with a thud.

Effie heard Felix trying to soothe him before the line went dead.

Ethan was already waiting by the front door for his parents when they arrived the next morning but there was none of the usual cheer he usually exhibit.

"Aunt Jo kept me company yesterday night 'cause Uncle Felix said I can't sleep in the same room with Tristan," he started, keeping his parents updated without being prompted to.

"That's probably for the best," Effie nodded. "At least until your brother gets better. How is he, darling?"

"Still sleepin'," Ethan mumbled. "He won't wake up. I said today's pancakes Sunday but it didn't work. I think he doesn't want pancake, like he doesn't want ice cream."

"Oh, Ethan, I'm sorry but I can't make you pancakes today. Your brother's sick…"

"It's okay, mama. We can have pancakes when Tristan's better!"

He slipped his hand into Effie's and followed his parents into Tristan's room. Felix was sitting at the edge of the bed, rubbing circles on Tristan's back.

"He's got fever," he said gravely.

Haymitch crossed the room towards his son and touched Tristan's forehead to feel his body warmer than usual.

"We're taking him to a clinic," he announced.

He lifted Tristan's sleeping form off the bed and with a quiet word to Ethan to stay with Felix and Johanna, they left.

Tristan woke up while they were waiting to be called in, disorientated and confused but the sight of both his parents put a smile on his face even though his eyes had lost its usual shine.

"Hey, peanut, you okay?"

"I feel funny," he mumbled.

Haymitch sat him on his lap as the doctor examined him, whispering quietly in his ears to soothe him. Tristan's eyes kept darting over to his mother. Effie smiled at him reassuringly while the doctor probed and examined him before diagnosing the young boy with an infection.

"That wasn't so bad, was it? The doctor even gave you a sticker for being such a brave boy! We can head home now, Tristan. You can rest and take a nap after you've had your medicines," Effie said.

Just like Haymitch had promised, they spent the Sunday at Felix's house watching a movie that Felix had put on. Ethan was allowed to choose the movie which was heavily influenced by Johanna much to Felix's displeasure. Effie declared the bean bag a monstrosity that only encouraged bad posture and settled on the arm chair. Johanna plopped down on the bean bag with Ethan sitting between her legs while Tristan lay curled on Haymitch's lap on the sofa, watching everything around him quietly.

He was less cranky now than his parents were here.

XxX

Haymitch had heard stories about the tantrum children would throw whenever they had to take their medication but Tristan did not even put up a fight when it was time for his and Haymitch was thankful for it. Effie fed him his fever-reducing medicine with ease while crooning words of encouragement to him.

Troy had given Effie and Haymitch permission to visit their children during the weekdays instead of waiting for the next weekend in light of Tristan being ill. If their request were denied, Haymitch would have violated the terms anyway and made the visit every day. Nobody was going to stop him or Effie, not when Tristan needed them. Ethan was beyond ecstatic when he realised that it was not a Saturday and yet his parents were there at Felix's house.

By Tuesday morning, Effie was out of her mind with worry. She was flighty and agitated. She snapped at Felix and Johanna, and ordered them around.

"Get me a wet cloth and a bowl of water, Jo. We need to bring his temperature down. Now, please."

Haymitch had not been sleeping since Tristan was taken ill. He wanted only his father and cried each time Haymitch was out of his sight. Ethan spent most of his time out of everyone's way, sitting quietly by himself and not demanding attention. Haymitch vowed to make it up to the boy for unintentionally casting him aside and for being far too understanding for someone his age.

"Something's not right, sweetheart," Haymitch said when Effie began to undress Tristan. He stared at his son's sleeping form in his arms.

"Don't you think I know that? Our son is sick," she retorted. "He needs stronger medicine. We should take him back to the clinic"

"We should take him to a hospital," Haymitch stated his opinion. "Look at the way he's breathing. Look at his chest. That ain't right – something's wrong."

XxX

They were directed to a curtained cubicle where Effie sat with Tristan, rocking the child comfortingly.

"You're going to be just fine," she said.

Haymitch wondered who she was trying to convince but for their son's sake, he hoped she was right.

"I wanna go home," Tristan sobbed. "I don't like it here."

His chest heaved as he tried to draw in air into his lungs.

Haymitch knelt next to him and spoke in a soft tone to distract his son from the sight of the doctor and nurses walking into the room.

"Keep talking to him, Mr. Abernathy," the doctor encouraged. "It's good that your son's awake and lucid. It's very good indeed. He's been sick since Saturday, you said earlier?"

"It could be before. He only started to complain about his throat on Saturday and it wasn't long before he developed a fever," Effie explained.

She gave the nurses all the medicines that were prescribed to them by the doctor from the clinic so the hospital could have a complete medical history. The nurse began to note down the names of the medicines for their record.

The doctor moved the stethoscope over Tristan's back, listening intently to the quiet crackles coming from the boy's lungs and started giving orders to the nurses. Tristan was hooked to a pair of nasal prongs to aid his breathing and was scheduled for a lung x-ray and blood test.

"It's looking very much like pneumonia," the doctor announced, pocketing her stethoscope into her coat. "We'll know for sure after the x-ray and the result of the blood test is in. He'll need to be hospitalised so we can monitor him. I'm glad you brought him in early – I've seen parents bringing their child in when they were having such difficulties breathing or when they noticed a blue tint on their child's lips."

XxX

The hospital room was filled with paintings and drawings done by children who was hospitalised in that particular ward. There were more colours and it was less dreary compared to any other hospitals that Haymitch had been to. Still, it did not change his dislike for hospitals and clinics, a dislike that Tristan seemed to have replicated.

The nurses wheeled Tristan into one of the rooms. There were three other children in it and the arrival of someone new made them curious and eager. They glanced at him every so often and when one of the children waved at him, Tristan gave the girl a hesitant smile. The presence of Haymitch and Effie was quite a surprise to their parents but they were polite enough to give the family some time to get Tristan settled in.

For the most part, Tristan was quiet and compliant. He gravitated towards Haymitch and pressed himself close to his father each time a nurse came to check on him. Felix brought Ethan over to visit once Tristan had been assigned a ward and a bed number but Ethan grew bored very quickly. He walked around the hospital room, going from bed to bed. He made friends with the other children and charmed the other parents with his smile.

"He's very friendly," Felix smiled at the parent of a young boy. He ushered Ethan back to his brother's bed. "Come now, Ethan, time to say goodbye. Visiting hours' over."

"We go home now?" Ethan asked. "Yay! We're going home. Then we can play. Do you want to play with the legos, Tristan? We can make a house."

"Oh, darling, no. Tristan stays but you're going home."

Tristan's reaction was instantaneous when he heard that. He shifted away from his father and grabbed his brother's shirt, pulling Ethan back to him. It took Ethan awhile to process it but when he understood what it meant, it came as no surprise at all to Haymitch to see Ethan throwing himself on the floor and lying spread eagle as he was usually prone to do when he was having an outburst.

"Don't do that, baby," Effie sighed when the boy adamantly refused to get up now that he realised that Tristan would not be going home with him.

"He can't stay - he'll miss me!" he cried. "He'll get lonely."

Ethan had never given them trouble when Haymitch left him in the City to return to Twelve and he never had an outburst when he was left in Felix's and Johanna's care. He had his brother in those two occasions but this time it was different. He had never been away from Tristan - not even for a night - since the day they were born.

"No, no, don't worry," Effie tried to make him feel better. "Your brother won't be lonely. He's got dada to keep him company all night long, just like you'll have me."

"Why can't he go home?"

"Tristan needs to stay here so he can get better and play with you again, you understand, don't you?"

"But I can stay," he pouted, thinking things through. "You can, too! Why we gotta go home?"

"We can't stay, darling. It's -"

"But _why?_ "

"Well, the hospital has rules. It's very important to follow the rules, isn't it? The rule says that only one adult is allowed to stay the night," Effie explained patiently. "We don't want to crowd the place now, do we? So why don't you come home with me tonight and tomorrow, we'll visit again."

"No, mama," he shook his head.

Effie pinched the bridge of her nose, inhaling deeply to calm herself. Ethan would usually listen once he understood why he needed to do certain things or why he needed to stop doing something but the thought of leaving his brother alone overruled it.

Effie must have raised him right somehow, Haymitch mused, because Ethan never raised his voice or burst out crying in a fit. He stated his demands firmly. "I don't wanna go home. I stay with Tristan. I wanna stay! You said that I musn't leave Tristan and Tristan musn't leave me so I stay, too, okay?"

"This boy never forgets a word we said," Effie mumbled under her breath. Haymitch patted her knee comfortingly.

"You're making your brother more miserable, sweetie. Hush now," Felix knelt next to him and spoke quietly. "You're not supposed to make your brother feel miserable, am I right? When we visit tomorrow, we'll bring Tristan a gift. How about that? How about we get a gift now so he'll be happier when you visit tomorrow? You like making people happy, don't you?"

Ethan seemed to consider this for a moment and then he relented, nodding his head and picking himself off the floor.

"It's okay, don't cry," Ethan patted his brother's head.

"You must come tomorrow," Tristan sobbed. "'Cause I don't like it here."

Ethan nodded enthusiastically and kissed Tristan's cheek when Felix asked him to. "I'll see you again and I'll bring present! I'll see him, won't I, mama?"

Effie's answer faded into the background. Haymitch was staring at his children, his mind reeling to the time when he was sixteen. A particular scene with his brother flashed before his mind's eyes.

_"_ _You must come back."_

Lief had said those exact words when he came to say goodbye after Haymitch was reaped and he had hugged his brother fiercely. That was the first time the brothers were separated. The second time was the last.

His children had, at times, reminded him of his relationship with his brother. The twins' bonds were stronger, definitely, but Haymitch had always been close to his brother. There were moments when he left his little brother behind because he was too young to join Haymitch and the other kids, but he still kept a look out for his brother, the same way Tristan and Ethan looked out for each other.

"Haymitch," Effie touched his arm.

It startled him and he blinked, glancing over at her. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You look…"

"Yeah, just… I was just thinking 'bout… It's nothing important." He forced a smile and before Effie could ask him further, he said, "Go home, sweetheart. It's late. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see mama and Ethan tomorrow?" Tristan tugged on his father's shirt, worried and anxious after everyone had left.

Haymitch kissed the top of the boy's head and reassured him again that his mother and brother would be back tomorrow with Felix and Johanna. He tucked Tristan in and prepared himself for a long night. Being sick made the usually quiet boy cranky, whiny and temperamental.

Haymitch wasn't sure if it was the illness but Tristan had also become clingy and afraid. Each time Haymitch so much as move, Tristan would grab his hand, clutching on to it tightly. It was difficult to ignore the flash of terror in his son's eyes or the tremble in his voice when he said, "don't leave, dada. Are you gonna go?"

Haymitch's movement became severely limited and he couldn't even leave Tristan alone for five minutes to go to the nearest bathroom. Having a sick child was already making Haymitch worried but a sick child who was constantly terrified of being left alone made it worse. It was not Tristan's fault. Tristan and Ethan were collateral damage to Elias' vile schemes but neither Haymitch or Effie or even Elias himself could anticipate just how much damage one spiteful report could create. The next few days would enlighten them to it and it would make Elias laugh with glee.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt that this chapter was very Tristan-centric but i hope you enjoyed reading it anyway! Poor baby Tristan is afraid and feeling abandoned, and sick to top it all off but he's in good hands.
> 
> Let me know what you think of this :)


	15. Chapter 15

 

**Chapter 15**

The morning paper lay rolled up and untouched on the side table next to Tristan's bed. Haymitch emerged from the bathroom, washed up but looking extremely exhausted. He sank on the armchair across from Plutarch with the bed separating them on each side. Fulvia sat perched at the edge of the bed, talking quietly to Tristan as she tried to get him to accept the teddy bear they had brought for their visit.

Plutarch shifted in his seat and handed his friend a cup of steaming coffee. "Did you read the papers?" he asked.

Haymitch gulped his coffee, opened his mouth to answer but his attention was diverted when he saw Effie walking into the room.

"Hey," he said as she kissed his cheek, "thought you'd bring Ethan with you."

"He'll be here later in the day with Felix and Johanna," she told him. "You look terrible, Haymitch."

"I look better than I feel," he chuckled. "He's difficult, sweetheart, I'll tell you all about it later."

Effie nodded and greeted the visitors in turn before sitting down on the bed with Tristan on her lap.

"So, did you read it?" Plutarch asked again.

"Somethin' important I should know about?"

"Your son made it to the news. Someone must have talked to the press, someone who saw you coming in to the emergency room. It says nothing else otherwise."

Effie wrapped her arms around her son, frowning. "If that was all it reported, then it's good, isn't it?"

"Can we go for a walk, mama?" Tristan nudged her. "Mama, please. I don't like it here. I wanna go out. Please. Please. Mama!"

"You're not well yet, darling. Maybe in a few days," she told him distractedly as she tried to pay attention to Plutarch.

"Depends," Plutarch shrugged. "It might not necessarily give off a good impression after what was printed last week about you and Haymitch losing custody. Now, add that with Tristan being in the hospital… Speculations, you see."

"There's nothing Effie and I can do 'bout it. We don't control the press. My son's sick. What are they driving at - that we intentionally abused him?"

"That's exactly it, isn't it, Haymitch?" Effie bit her bottom lip, catching on to what Plutarch was saying. "If the papers reported that Tristan's in the hospital and said nothing else on the subject, it leaves the public free to form assumptions. That's going to affect our case if –"

"It doesn't matter what the public thinks. Troy and Ella knew very well what happened to Tristan. That's all that counts. This is just a marketing strategy, to sell their stories. It keeps people coming back for more if you don't give out all the information at once."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," Fulvia tried to reassure the pair. "Where Plutarch and I work, it's a mine field filled with gossipers. I can drop the word that Tristan's down with pneumonia. It'll spread."

With Plutarch, Fulvia and Effie there to occupy Tristan, Haymitch was finally able to get some sleep. He sat slumped on the armchair, giving in to his exhaustion. He slept with a hand dangling over the edge and his head lolling to the side. He wasn't sure how long he was asleep but the sound of a child's excited voice jerked him awake from his slumber.

Ethan came into view, running into the ward with Felix and Johanna bringing the rear. "Uncle Plu!" he exclaimed when he saw who was there and threw himself at Plutarch who enveloped the boy in a bear hug.

"Ah, young man, you've grown so much taller since I last saw you!" Plutarch said. "Stand next to me - let me see just how tall you are now."

"I think I like him better when he was a toddler," Johanna grumbled. "He wasn't running around back then, yeah, Felix?"

Felix nodded, already out of breath. He stood in front of the window, using the reflective surface to check his hair. Ethan, oblivious to the adults talking about him, climbed on to Tristan's bed and handed his brother the gift he promised he would get.

His gift turned out to be a sloppy drawing of them both in their blue and red cars, in front of their house in Twelve.

"I won!" Tristan pointed to the drawing where he was slightly ahead of his brother in his car. "But you always win me at races."

"I wanna make you happy so I drew you winnin'! You're happy?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of Haymitch's lips when he heard that. He settled Ethan on his lap and kissed the boy's head.

"You did a good job, tiger," he whispered.

"Oh, by the way, did you notice the crowd at the hospital when you were coming in earlier?" Felix asked as he walked over to the bed now that he was satisfied that his hair was still in place. "Is there someone going on here today – some special event, perhaps?"

When Effie arrived that morning, there was nothing unusual that she noticed and neither did Plutarch or Fulvia. They both promised to avoid the masses on their way out of the hospital just in case the crowd happens to be the media waiting to interview someone close.

It turned out that the crowd was there for Tristan.

He was clinging on to Effie, whining about his food and refusing to eat anything that was orange in colour – a new colour that he hated this week and a behaviour that Haymitch never knew his son was capable of – when a group of four people walked into the ward.

"Hello, good day," one of them said in greeting, smiling at Haymitch and Effie.

Ethan, who was curled at the foot of his brother's hospital bed with a picture book, lifted his head and watched them curiously.

"We're… We read on the papers that your son was not well. It didn't say what happened or why he was in the hospital, so we thought we'll pay a visit."

"Do we know you?" Effie asked. Tristan had gone quiet in her arms at the sight of the strangers.

"Oh, no, no, we're just concerned members of the public."

"So you just walked in here and thought you'll pop by?" Johanna asked with a note of incredulity.

"What happened to him?" a woman in her mid-fifties queried, ignoring the question thrown at her. "He looks pale."

 _Capitol_ , Haymitch's mind supplied as he took in the way the woman was dressed. It was toned down than before the war but it was still something fancy that one wouldn't normally find in the districts.

"He's just… unwell. Pneumonia," Haymitch gave a guarded answer, unwilling to divulge more information than necessary but enough just so there would not be any speculation of child abuse as Plutarch had suggested earlier.

It wasn't sitting well with him that there were strangers here for his son.

"Pneumonia?" she laughed airily. "Sounds like a disease from the districts. Is it infectious?"

"Oh, if you're worried, perhaps you shouldn't have visited. I thought you were _concern_ ," Felix said, voice dripping with sarcasm as he stood up and approached the group. "My nephew needs his rest."

"Felix," Effie said, appalled at his behaviour.

"What?" he arched an eyebrow and raised his hand defensively. "We don't know who they are and they can't just drop in unannounced!"

"This is a _public_ hospital, mister," a man retorted. "We just want to see the boy, make sure he's fine."

"Oh, is that for him? You bought a four years old boy a bouquet of flowers?" Johanna laughed and took it out of the woman's hand. "Thanks. We'll put it in a vase."

"I would have to ask you to leave. Your presence is upsetting my son," Haymitch gritted his teeth as he gestured towards where Tristan was pressing his face against Effie's chest.

The strangers incurred not only Haymitch's ire but also Felix's when they asked for a photo to be taken with the twins. They claimed that they had read the news of their birth in the papers, followed their progress even as Haymitch battled the law and it was such a delight to finally be able to meet them.

While Effie appreciated their gesture in coming down to visit even she was uncomfortable with their presence and their request, and had to politely turned them down.

Felix and Johanna managed to chase them out leaving Haymitch to talk to the nurses at the station about having non-family members in the ward but he knew that just like him, this situation was not something any of them had expected.

By the time he returned, there was already another group crowding around Tristan's bed.

"What the fuck is going on?" Johanna hissed as she stood next to Haymitch, watching the scene in disbelief.

"There's a crowd at the lift lobby outside the ward," Felix exclaimed as he hurried towards them. "Why do they think that this is okay? Have they gone mad? You've got powerful friends, Haymitch, can't you ask for security around your boy? Like how reporters are not allowed in Victors' Village… Those kind of privileges?"

"Stay here and try to … Try to keep them away. I need to get to Effie and then we see what we can do."

As he neared Tristan's bed, he saw Effie smiling at the group. It was her escort smile; a smile wrapped in fake politeness. Ethan, charming and friendly as he always was, was talking to one of the visitors and answering their questions - "I'm four years old!", "Tristan's really, really sick, so he can't come home with me and he's gotta stay here _every_ day" – until Haymitch stepped in between them.

By the end of the day, there were flowers, "get well soon" balloons (which Ethan enjoyed more than his brother did as he walked around the ward with two huge balloons trailing after him, its string tied around his wrist), cards and basket of fruits surrounding Tristan's bed.

The other parents in the ward were unhappy with the intrusion and rightfully so. "I'm sorry, Mr. Abernathy, but this isn't a circus. It's a hospital." Haymitch didn't blame them for feeling the way they did because he was feeling frustrated himself. Their sick child needed just as much rest.

The hospital management, caught ill-prepared by the situation, scrambled to keep the visitors at bay when they realised what was going on. Their behaviours were disruptive and even after visiting hours were over some were still trying to get access. As a gesture of goodwill and to lift the burden from Haymitch and Effie, the hospital staffs offered to make the necessary phone calls to Troy and Ella to keep them apprise of the situation.

Plutarch was alerted as well when Haymitch finally requested for some help on his end only to tell Haymitch more news.

"Katniss and Peeta are here. People have spotted them at the train station in the City. They try to be discreet but they're them and people recognise the Mockingjay. I've intercepted them and they're staying with Fulvia's parents, in a quiet place away from the main city at the moment. You didn't tell them about Tristan, did you? They had no idea."

With everything that was going on, Haymitch hadn't really had the time to place a call to Twelve. But he remembered Peeta's conversation with Effie a few days ago which would explain why they were here.

"They want to visit - they were going to visit Tristan today - but I shall advise against it until things are under control at the hospital. They've brought their little girl. The people here have been wanting a glimpse of her ever since."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

They were sitting by the window of the hospital room with Tristan curled in Haymitch's lap, a thumb stuck in his mouth.

"There," Haymitch tapped his son's thigh and pointed towards the window. "The sun's rising, peanut."

Tristan raised his head until Haymitch lifted him up from under his armpit so he was standing on the chair.

"Ethan likes sunrise!" the young boy grinned.

"Yeah, yeah, he does," Haymitch nodded. "He likes the moon and the stars, doesn't he? He would have liked watching the sunrise with you."

"We can do it again at home with Ethan and mama! And again when the sun goes to sleep."

Haymitch smiled. Home meant Twelve and he counted the days until he could bring his family home again.

The pair remained on the chair, cuddled together until a nurse came over to inform Haymitch that his request had gotten through. They would be moving Tristan.

By late morning, Tristan was transferred to a private ward. His bed was wheeled out of the old ward towards the new which set off a string of excited chatter from Ethan who had arrived with Effie, Felix and Johanna.

He jumped up and down enthusiastically, all the while pointing at his brother's bed.

"It moves! Dada, the bed can move! It's got wheelies like my car! Look, dada! Look!"

"Shush. Remember what I said? We're in a hospital so you have to speak softly – indoor voice," Haymitch told him as they followed behind the nurses pushing Tristan's bed.

"But why does it have wheelies?

"'Cause it's a special kind of bed."

Ethan mulled the words over before he turned to Haymitch and played with the collar of his father's shirt as he asked, "Can I have wheelies-bed at home?"

Haymitch transferred the boy from one arm to another. His son was getting heavier by the day and _he_ was getting older. "You had them when you were a baby," he grunted. "It's called a crib. It's got four wheels just like that one. Your mama used to bring it over to our room from your nursery – your room now."

"Oh!" Ethan exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "When we go home, I sleep in my crib, okay?"

"You're too big for that, tiger. Cribs are for _babies_. Aren't you always telling your mother that you're a big boy?"

"But…" he sounded dejected before perking up again. "We can have babies, dada! Where do we get babies? I can push babies in crib."

"No," Haymitch said far too quickly. "No, we're not having babies."

The boy frowned. "Then can I have a bigger bed? You can put wheels on my bed!"

Haymitch chuckled and tousled his son's hair. "You can have a bigger bed," Haymitch nodded in approval. "But no wheels – there's no end to the kind of trouble you'll get into with a bed that moves."

"That was very close. You avoided a tantrum," Effie smiled in amusement. "I simply cannot imagine you having to deal with Ethan throwing a tantrum because _he_ wanted babies. Just how are you going to give him that, hmm?"

"Don't be a tease, sweetheart," he grumbled. "That'll be on you, too, and we don't… We've got enough on our hands, don't you think?"

"Hmmm," she nodded.

Ethan's high spirits quickly dwindled down when they entered the private room and he saw that there was only his brother in the room. "But there's only Tristan here! I don't like it!"

Haymitch had learnt early on that with his twins, one of their moods was bound to quickly affect the other and true enough, Tristan looked visibly upset.

"Mama, where are my friends?" Tristan asked, glancing around his surroundings.

"Hey, Tristan, look up, you've got your own television," Johanna said, flopping down on the sofa as she turned on the device. "I wouldn't complain if I were you, kid."

"Your friends are not here, darling," Effie said, sitting down next to Tristan on the bed. "I'm sorry about that but it's better for you here. You won't have people coming to visit you. You didn't like, did you?"

Tristan shook his head.

"I didn't know 'em," he mumbled.

"Yes, exactly," she brushed his hair back. "Dada's moved you to this room so only our family and our friends - people that you know - will be able to visit."

"Like Uncle Plu?"

"Like Uncle Plu," Effie smiled, "and Prim. Prim's here in the City, darling, she'll be visiting you soon. You miss her, don't you?"

XxX

Dysfunctional as they were, there was no denying that the presence of Katniss and Peeta made their family feel complete. Effie was delighted to have them back as was he but he wasn't the kind to express himself. Nobody in the room was surprised when Johanna goaded Katniss into an argument the moment she arrived.

"There's a guard outside," Katniss told them, stating the obvious.

"Oh yeah, Haymitch had to pull strings to have that kind of security since we knew you were visiting – just ask Plutarch," Johanna sneered, snatching a piece of Peeta's cheese bun that he made that morning. "Can't have his precious Mockingjay flooded by her fans."

Plutarch shook his head, refusing to engage in that conversation. They all knew it wasn't true. The security measure was there for Tristan's sake but Johanna had to take a stab.

"I'll tell the guard to keep you in mind, too. No need to be so green," countered Katniss. "Careful, Prim, don't be too rough on Tristan."

The sight of Prim lifted up the boys' spirits and distracted them from the loneliness of being in a private room. According to Peeta, this was the brightest smile he had seen on Prim's face since the boys left Twelve.

"You look funny," Prim giggled and touched the tip of Tristan's nose. "What's this in your nose?"

"To help me breathe, dada said so. I musn't take it off," he explained.

"What happens if you do?"

"Then he can't breathe, silly goose," Ethan laughed. "Tristan'll make very weird sounds from his nose."

He mimicked his brother's wheezing until Effie gently told him off for making fun of Tristan.

"I don't really like it. If I make my eyes like this," Tristan crossed them, "I can see it and my nose, too!"

The other two was quick to imitate. The three of them broke into a fit of laughter which only grew louder when Felix joined in and told them to stick out their tongues.

"You look like monkeys," Felix cackled hysterically. "All of you."

"It's good to see them together again," Peeta commented from where he was perched on the window sill. "She misses her boys."

Plutarch was quick to interject, smiling good-naturedly at them all, "Just so we are clear, one of them is marrying my daughter. Let your daughter know that, won't you, Peeta?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you and Haymitch have agreed on – "

"I didn't agree on anythin'," Haymitch interjected, cleanly pushing off any possible blame from his shoulders.

"- but my children will marry for love and certainly _not_ because someone had decided it for them. So, if one of my sons happened to be in love with your daughter in the future, then so be it, but neither Haymitch," she glared at him, "or I will decide it for them. We've all seen the consequences of arranged marriages – both good and bad - and what it has done to this country."

"That's my girl," he nodded in approval, his eyes glinting with pride. "You better listen to my wi – to Effie."

The advantage of being in a private room was that there was no limit to the number of visitors they could have since they would not be inconveniencing others. Visiting hours was also not enforced onto them as strictly. With the exception of Plutarch, everybody spent the entire afternoon with Tristan, keeping him company and entertaining him. Once or twice, he would complain about his throat or ask when he could go home but otherwise, he was happy to have everyone there surrounding him.

"Dada," Ethan tugged on his father's hand as Haymitch accompanied the boy to the washroom. "I wish Auntie Annie and Finn could come."

"They would if they could, tiger. Do you remember Ari?"

Ethan nodded.

"Her mama's not doing so good. So Auntie Annie is helping out. Ari's too little to travel all the way here and they can't take Ari away from her mama or she'll start to worry, you understand? Tell you what – once Tristan has recovered and everything's okay, we'll go to Four."

"'kay," Ethan agreed. "When's everything gonna be okay?"

If there was something Haymitch hated more than anything else, it was breaking a promie, especially one made to his children. He could not tell his son that things would return to normal tomorrow or a week later or even a month from now because he could not promise Ethan something that he himself did not know the answer to.

As it turned out, when a new day greeted the family, things were far from okay.

XxX

"But mama said to watch the one outside," Ethan pointed out, staring up at him with eyes full of hope. "It's just there, dada. I'll stay right there, I promise."

Haymitch leaned forward in his seat to look at the empty waiting area equipped with magazines and a television, currently playing Ethan's favourite show with its volume on mute.

The boys had been arguing over the television in Tristan's room. Tristan had played the same show nearly three times and Ethan was growing bored of it. To avoid the argument from escalating, Effie had told Ethan to watch it from the television at the waiting room, just across from his brother's room.

"We'll still be able to see him from here," Effie assured him. Whenever her sons argue, it would leave her exasperated. "I don't need them fighting, Haymitch."

He sighed. "Make sure I can see you. Don't wander anywhere else."

Ethan beamed at him and ran out of the room. Haymitch kept his eye on the boy, watching him from his place on the armchair in Tristan's room as Ethan settled on his stomach, chin propped on his palm as he lay on the sofa.

As if sensing Haymitch's gaze, he turned, "See, I'm still here," he said cheekily.

"I'm still here," became a phrase that Ethan repeated over the next half an hour. Haymitch had come to expect it, giving his son a thumb's up each time he heard it, and it lulled him into a false sense of security knowing that Ethan was just outside. It took him a while to realise that for the past few minutes, he had heard nothing from Ethan.

"I'm gonna check on him," he muttered to Effie.

"He probably fell asleep," Felix added as Haymitch walked over towards the waiting room.

He saw the polished, shiny shoes first before his eyes tracked up to the sight of Ethan sitting on his uncle's lap and talking rather enthusiastically. He froze.

"You've got some nerves," Haymitch gritted his teeth.

"Haymitch," Elias sneered, tilting his head to the side when he noticed Haymitch's presence. "You look like you are going to choke. Take a seat and join us. I was just having a little chat with my nephew here. This one's a talker just like his mother, isn't he? I know the most interesting of things now thanks to him."

"Ethan, come here," Haymitch gestured but Ethan remained where he was. "Get away from my son," he hissed.

"He won't be before long," Elias mocked. He stood up with Ethan still in his arms and addressed the child. "Didn't your father tell you that mama and dada won't be your mama and dada anymore? They'll go back to Twelve without you. They're going to abandon you."

"Don't," Haymitch warned. "Don't say any of that filth to my son. You leave him out of this. Put him down and get out."

"What's a – aban… abandon?" Ethan frowned. "Is it a good word?"

"Don't listen to him, tiger," Haymitch shook his head. "I told you to leave, Lewis."

"Leave? That would be extremely rude of me. I haven't even seen little Tristan yet."

With the arrogance that only he could muster, Elias brushed past Haymitch and walked into Tristan's room uninvited. The total silence that engulfed the room the moment he appeared was telling. Johanna stared at him. Felix blinked, open-mouthed, at the sight of his brother while Effie moved towards Tristan protectively.

"Cousin," he nodded at Effie.

"What are you doing here, Eli?" Felix snapped.

"Ah, baby brother. I would have thought you'd have a better grasp on your manners but of course, you live to disappoint," Elias sniffed distastefully. His gaze landed on Johanna and he smirked. "You must be Johanna Mason, the woman running around with my brother. You don't seem to have a permanent home… I recalled seeing you in Four. How is your… godson?"

"Is that a fucking threat?" Johanna shot out of her seat but Felix grabbed her hand.

"How did you get passed – "

"The security?" he interrupted before Effie could finish her question. "Very simple. You appeared to have forgotten, judging from all family dinners that I was not invited to, but I am still _family._ "

"Don't remember inviting you here, either, but you seemed to have a talent of slithering in when you're not wanted," Haymitch spat.

The only indication that he had heard what Haymitch said was the smirk on his face.

"Oh, look at this sweet boy," he exclaimed with such false cheeriness it made Haymitch's skin crawl, "all pale and sick, and so very miserable."

As he advanced towards Tristan, Ethan wriggled in his arms, wanting to be put down. Elias grabbed the boy's arm - rough enough to make Effie gasp - and snapped at him, "be still."

"Mama!" he cried out, reaching his arms for Effie.

"Elias, please, let my son go," Effie pleaded. "He doesn't – Elias, he doesn't like to be carried. Please. You're making him upset."

It was promptly ignored.

"Don't take another step towards that bed," Haymitch growled.

That too, fell on deaf ears.

"Tristan," Elias drawled, trailing a lone finger down the side of the boy's cheek. Tristan's eyes darted from his mother to his father, and then to his brother who had gone very, very still in Elias' arms. His lips quivered. "Your parents put you here. You should know that. _They_ put you here."

He paused to let the words sink in. Tristan looked at him and then at his father. Haymitch knew his son very well, and he knew Tristan was thinking and trying to remember things.

"No, darling, you were sick, your father and I had to bring you here, to make you better."

"But I don't like it here, mama. I don't like doctors. I wanna go home. I told dada I wanna go home and he didn't take me home."

Elias chuckled, jumping in at the chance to cause more damage.

"He's not going to bring you home, you poor child. After all, your father left you behind with your Uncle Felix, another poor substitute. They did such a poor job of looking after you, like I always knew they would. This is why, for your own safety and for your brother's, you need to be taken away. I did my duty as your uncle."

Haymitch clenched his fist. He wanted to punch that self-satisfied, arrogant smirk off Elias' face more than anything. He wanted to grab Ethan away but the fear that Elias might hurt his boys should he try anything, stopped him from marching over.

Elias had his children now and it was no longer metaphorical; it was no longer something that only existed in paper.


	17. Chapter 17

 

**Chapter 17**

Ethan had gone very white, frozen in fear in Elias' arms. Haymitch's eyes locked onto Ethan's terrified grey ones as his son stared pleadingly over Elias's shoulder. Slowly, so as not to attract Elias's attention, Haymitch raised his hand, fingers tapping on his front teeth. Felix's gaze darted between Haymitch and Ethan. The understanding dawned on him and he nodded, grinning at his nephew.

Felix pulled on his ear.

Haymitch held his breath hoping that Ethan understood what they meant and he did. There was a twinkle in his eyes and his face split into a wide smile. Without any hesitation, Ethan sank his teeth, as he sometimes did whenever he fought with Tristan, and pulled on Elias' ear.

There was a sharp yowl of pain. Elias released the boy and he landed with a soft thud on Tristan's bed. Ethan scrambled off it before his uncle could react and ran towards his father.

Elias had his eyes screwed shut with a hand pressed against his injured ear, blood seeping from his fingers. He was cursing very loudly about district children being raised into barbarians. Effie wasted no time in pushing him out of the way to stand protectively next to Tristan.

"Under normal circumstances, I would try to sympathise with you and discipline my son accordingly but today is not that day. If you lay a finger on my children ever again…" she let the threat hang in the air.

Ethan stopped mid-run to look over his shoulder at his mother and then he continued running, blonde hair flying all over his head.

"Good job, tiger," Haymitch whispered, pushing Ethan safely behind him.

"What 'bout Tristan, dada?" he hopped on his feet anxiously, tugging on Haymitch's pants.

"Your mama's got him. He's gonna be okay."

Felix was fighting to keep the smile off his face, although it didn't look like he was fighting hard enough, as he handed his brother a handful of tissues.

"Oh, don't be a baby, Eli. It's just a small cut."

When Elias spoke, every syllable trembled with rage. "Get me a nurse," he demanded.

Johanna crossed her arms, snickering. "Get over yourself."

That only enraged him further. "Whatever is in his brother could very well be in him," he spat. "I have no desire to be infected. Get me a nurse! Right now."

"Is he always like this?" Johanna asked dubiously.

"Unfortunately so," Felix lifted his shoulder in a careless shrug.

"We could send him over to Gale…" Johanna suggested. "Let Gale train him in the terrains of district two, toughen him up a bit. What do you say?"

Elias made a noise of displeasure before admitting defeat, knowing that if he wanted a nurse, he would have to get one himself. In that second, he seemed to deflate just a little bit and dropped to the sofa which Felix and Johanna had vacated earlier when he walked in. He glared at everyone in the room, pressing the tissues to his ear to stem the bleeding.

Haymitch had never been prouder of his son.

XxX

Ethan pulled away from his mother and crept slowly, one step at a time towards Elias until he was close enough to be heard. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, bouncing on his feet. His face was a mask of curiosity.

"Why are you a meanie?" Ethan asked, standing a safe distance away.

Elias glanced up. His hand immediately went back to his ear as if remembering what Ethan had inflicted on him. He snorted in derision.

"You think I'm mean? How about you turn around and ask your parents that."

"Mama and dada aren't meanies! They're the very bestest," Ethan boasted. "See –" he pointed at the bed where Haymitch was with Tristan, cradling him and trying to repair the damage Elias' words had caused.

"You made Tristan upset and I really don't like it," Ethan stomped on his foot. "Now dada's gotta make him feel better. So you're a meanie. Dada's not."

If Ethan was doing a fine job standing up to Elias, Tristan was in a mood; cranky and upset.

"Make Ethan come back here, dada. Uncle Eli's gonna hurt him," Tristan mumbled. His lower lip was wobbling, a sign that he was about to break into tears. "I wanna go home."

"I'll get you home. Hang in there for a bit, peanut. You need to get better first," Haymitch spoke softly. "I know you don't like it here but mama and I had to bring you to the hospital so you can get proper help. You were very sick, weren't you?"

Ha nodded, blinking rapidly in an attempt not to cry.

"We want you to be better – so you can be yourself again."

"And when I'm better, I wanna go home with you and mama," he declared with such ferocity it made the corner of Haymitch's lips twitched in amusement. "I don't wanna stay with Uncle Felix or Aunt Jo."

Haymitch nodded, tightening his hold on his son as he rocked him back and forth.

"We're all going back to Twelve. I don't know when that'll be but I ain't leaving without you or Ethan or your mother."

"You promise?" he held out his pinky, wanting Haymitch to swear on it.

Haymitch swallowed and pressed a kiss to the top of the boy's head. Tristan remembered all the promises made to him which was both a blessing and a curse; the ice cream Effie said he would get after dinner if he finish his food; or Peeta promising to take the boys and Prim to the meadow during the weekend; or Finn telling him that he would call on Wednesdays, and he would claim each one of them.

"Dada?" he pouted, his hand falling to his side. He knelt in front of Haymitch. "Why won't you pinky promise? Don't you love me?"

"'Course I do," Haymitch said gruffly, very much aware of the other people in the room. But none of them were paying any attention to him or Tristan.

"How much?"

Haymitch chuckled, amused. He had never been asked to quantify his feelings and while he was not one to discuss his emotions or claim to be an expert at such, he was certain it couldn't be measured in numbers.

He reached out, taking Tristan's hand and covered his tiny fingers into a fist which Haymitch placed next to his own.

"This is the size of your heart," he tapped Tristan's fist. "This is mine – so much bigger than yours."

Tristan tilted his head, brows crinkling with his tongue between his teeth. Haymitch could see him thinking, trying to understand it.

"So you love me more?"

"Yeah, so much more than you could right now," he grinned.

It was ridiculous but he didn't mind being ridiculous with his children. Effie wouldn't, not really. She was the disciplinarian in the house while _he_ spoilt his children.

"'Cause your heart's bigger?" Tristan prodded.

Haymitch nodded, still grinning as Tristan's face changed from being confused to indignant in the seconds that it took him to understand. "Dada, you're _very_ silly! One day I'm gonna be big, maybe bigger and taller than you, mama said so. If I grow bigger, will my heart grow bigger, too?"

"Think so," Haymitch pretended to be unsure.

Tristan nodded enthusiastically. "So when I get bigger, I will love you more! My heart's gonna be bigger and bigger and I'm gonna love you more and more!"

Haymitch would have probably told Tristan that for a child, he already had a big heart except Elias chose that moment to interrupt with an unwelcome comment.

"Cute," Elias snorted, having picked up the tail end of the conversation. "Let's see if he will once he knows you're losing custody of him. I don't suppose you've told them that that's what's _really_ happening when you carted them off to Felix?"

"Why are you here?" Effie fixed Elias with a glare.

She laid a hand on Ethan's shoulder as she came to a stand behind him. The boy glanced back and then mimicked his mother's expression, staring angrily at his uncle.

"I believe the more appropriate question that I should be asking is - why are you _still_ here?"

"My, my," Elias leaned back in his seat. "That is the height of bad manners, is it not, cousin? Your manners are slipping. On hindsight, I really should not be surprised that you've raised your children poorly as such. They are a reflection of you and your… well, he's not your husband any longer. Just look at that boy," he waved his hand at Ethan. "Despicable."

"What's that mean?" Ethan's queried.

"I suggest that you choose your words very carefully from now on," Effie warned. "You haven't answered my question - why are you here?"

Elias crossed his legs and sniffed disdainfully at Effie. Haymitch presumed he was the sort of man who never liked having his motives questioned.

"I merely wanted to pay my nephew a visit. I wouldn't know he was taken ill if it wasn't for the papers. None of you had the courtesy to inform me so," he accused, adding a slight hurt to his voice.

If Felix had a penchant to be melodramatic, his brother was twice as terrible and all these years, Haymitch thought Effie was the worse. Effie sighed and sat tiredly on the sofa.

"I never thought you cared about my children so you'll have to forgive me if _I_ find that rather difficult to believe. What is this really about? Why… file a report against us? Why are you doing this? I've been wanting to know that since I found out because… it makes no sense, Elias," Effie paused for a breath. "Why would you do this to my family?"

"Ah, I'm really glad you ask," Elias smiled but there was nothing pleasant about the smile. It was taunting and smug. "There is really not much fun to be had in bringing someone down without having the opportunity to let them know _why_. I really do enjoy watching the look on people's faces when I tell them."

Haymitch moved, picking Tristan off the bed and setting him down on the wheelchair. "Take the children out for a walk, don't come back so soon. Give us an hour," Haymitch directed, wheeling Tristan over to Johanna and Felix.

Johanna grabbed Ethan's hand and with one last look at his parents, Ethan followed his brother, uncle and aunt out of the room.

"Start talking before they come back," Haymitch scowled. "Answer Effie's question – why?"

"Simple, really," Elias hummed in obvious delight. "You have caused me great trouble, Haymitch. Great, great trouble, indeed. Now, if you have just taken the deal and given Effie to me – "

"For fuck's sake, not this again," Haymitch growled. "Effie's not a thing to be bartered over."

" – or if you hadn't reeled Klaus over to your side or overturn the law…"

"What are you talkin' about?" Haymitch thundered. " _You_ wanted the law to end just as much. _You_ wanted Effie to marry Kluas. That was the deal; I give you Effie and you help me end the law. You have trouble rememberin' or somethin'?"

"Yes, that was the deal because if you had taken it, then I would have Klaus' company, slowly but surely. But I don't, not even that 5% share," he spat, "and now I look like a fool in front of my wife or… ex-wife, rather," Elias chuckled.

The sudden change in Elias' mood was worrying and it made Effie reached out to take Haymtich's hand.

"Ex-wife," Elias repeated almost wistfully. "I lost her."

"Elias…" Effie began. "I'm sorry. I know it's not easy to lose someone you love – "

"Love?" he laughed. "What a foolish thing to say, cousin. No, no, she was convenient; it was after all a marriage of convenience. Thalia was money. She was my way to richness and to greatness. Now that our marriage has been annulled and she has quite plainly refused to renew it no matter what I said to convince her, she's taken _all_ of her properties with her, properties that could have been mine; should have been mine! And that's on _you_."

It would have been better if Elias had raised his voice at the end of his passionate rant but his voice had dropped to almost a whisper which set off all sorts of alarm bells in Haymitch's head. He perceived it as a threat, a promise of a greater damage to come.

"I thought, well, what better way to make you pay for all that trouble other than to take everything that mean so much to the two of you like you did to me?" he went on with a glint in his eyes. "The answer came to me. I heard about your family, Haymitch. Wouldn't it be awful if you were to lose them _again?_ What a tragedy it would be; tragic."

Haymitch clenched his jaws. He was clutching on to Effie's hand so tightly he was sure she was in pain.

"As for you…" he addressed Effie. "You're a very sentimental person, cousin, and your children are everything to you - mother's instinct, so they say. And I thought to myself, _'why, of course, if you want to press where it hurts, take their children. But short of kidnapping the brats which would be_ illegal _, what can you do, Elias?'_ The rest, as you know, is history."

Effie had gone pale, staring at Elias with a look of open betrayal.

"You – You're despicable son of a – "

There was a sudden movement as Effie rushed forward, hands outstretched and aiming straight for Elias' neck. Haymitch grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back.

"Sweetheart, no," he grunted, holding Effie against him as he pinned Elias with a glare that would have made braver man quake in their boots. "Stop struggling, Effs. You won't hit him. You're not going to."

"I will. Let me go, Haymitch. He deserves it. I'll tear his face out."

Effie was not a physically violent person, not always. Usually, she would talk his ears off when she was annoyed with him or she would lecture the children when they did something wrong but where Elias was concern, he believed her when she said that she would hurt him. Effie was a lioness and she would protect her cubs at all costs.

Elias on the other hand never quite took the threat of harm to his person quite as seriously. He laughed; a cruel, mocking laugh.

"Such viciousness is unbecoming of you. You were raised better than this but I supposed this is what happens when you lower yourself to _their_ standards," he nodded at Haymitch. "A word of advice, if I may? You should listen to him, still. It's for your own good. You shouldn't lay a finger on me, my sweet darling cousin. I imagine that would reflect very badly on your assessment. Violence, I am sure, is the key to losing your children faster than you can blink."

Effie stopped trying to free herself and Haymitch felt her deflate in his arms.

"He's right," he whispered in her ears so only Effie could hear him. "Why'd you think I haven't punched that bastard in his face yet, sweetheart? Remember what I told you – we need to watch ourselves. If we make a wrong move, it will be used against us. We're being monitored, Effs, don't forget that."

She stepped out of Haymitch's embrace, advancing slowly towards Elias. Effie understood the stakes and she would listen to him. Still, Haymitch watch her carefully.

"I trusted you," Effie stared at Elias. "You were like the elder brother I never had, Elias. I – "

"I know," Elias bowed his head. "I know, darling. It pains me to do this to you. You are so very dear to me. I promised your sister to look out for you; always. Maybe now you will realise that being with _him_ was the beginning of your mistakes. Perhaps it is not too late for a future with Klaus. He wants nothing to do with me but if I have you…"

The disgust was plain to read in Effie's eyes. "You never learn," she spoke. "Klaus knows I love Haymitch and only him. He knows he has no future with me. Haymitch is _not_ a mistake, Elias. My children are not a mistake."

"Look at your life, cousin," Elias implored, trying for one last shot. "Look at how it is falling apart. Forget Klaus. If you had just accepted any one of the petitions I sent your way, your life would be far easier than this. I can assure you that. Those are reputable men; men with money and status."

Haymitch didn't think it was necessary to point out to Elias that the statuses of those men were in serious jeopardy after the Games were destroyed or that Effie's life would be easier without his interference. Elias was delusional and it was fruitless to talk to him about it.

"You…" Effie gasped. "You had a hand in those petitions?"

"Well, of course, I did! You didn't think anyone would want to marry you, not when you've dragged your own reputation through the mud with your association with the rebels? No, no, I was trying to _salvage_ what's left of you. I was doing my job – I was looking out for you."

Effie shook her head. "There must be something in it for you at the end of it. You have never done things out of the goodness of your heart."

"You really do not believe me when I said you are very dear to me," he chuckled.

"I don't. Not anymore."

"Believe what you will, Euphemia."

"As should you," Effie advised. "It may be difficult for you to wrap your head around it but I love Haymitch, and I love my children. We are not losing them, Elias. I'm not losing my children and Haymitch is not losing his family, not again."

"We'll see."

"Money's everything to a starving man. It means a loaf of bread or a glass of milk. But neither you nor I are starving men, Lewis, and it still hasn't sunk in to you that money isn't everything. I wouldn't trade Effie or Tristan or Ethan for _anything_ in this world. I will fight to keep them with me and you'd do well to remember that," Haymitch warned.

XxX

There was a knock on the door before it was pushed open and Troy poked his head in.

"Good after – Oh," Troy paused, taking in the scene. "Are we interrupting?"

The three occupants in the room turned towards the door to see Katniss and Peeta standing behind Troy. Katniss pressed her lips together when she recognised Elias. Peeta's eyes darted from Elias over to Effie and Haymitch, a hint of worry reflecting in them.

"We're done talking. Elias was just leaving," Haymitch said.

Elias took the cue. He stood up, dusted invisible lint on his suit and left the room.

"Everything alright?" Peeta asked. "Did he give you any trouble at all?"

"Yes, splendid, nothing to worry about, dear," Effie plastered a smile on her face. "I wasn't expecting you or Katniss this early. You said yesterday that you'll be visiting in the afternoon."

"Oh, we finished early," Katniss said without any further explanation.

"Finished what early?" Haymitch queried.

"The interview," Troy smiled gently. "We have just concluded our interviews with Katniss and Peeta. It's very fortunate that they happened to be in the City. It saves us a trip to Twelve and sped up the process. With their interview over and done with, it means we've completed everyone on our list."

"Including Doctor Exton?" Effie asked.

"Including him, yes."

"How is everything? Is it looking good for – "

"Is he gone?" Johanna asked, walking into the room with Felix and the boys.

Ethan was delighted to see Katniss and Peeta, and went straight to them. Tristan curled with Effie on the bed and fell asleep not long after. The walk seemed to have done a good job of making Ethan and Tristan forget about the debacle with Elias.

"Haymitch," Troy cleared his throat when he noticed that everyone else was occupied. He retrieved a brown envelope from his briefcase. "I was ah, I was wondering if I could have a word with you in private?"

"Yeah," Haymitch gave a curt nod and led Troy out to the waiting area opposite of Tristan's room. "If this is about Lewis, I can assure you that nothing – "

"It's not about him," Troy assured him. "It's another matter. There's something that you should know. There's … It's never happened before but…" he took a breath and raised his hand that was holding on to the envelope. "There's really no easy way to say this."

Troy handed the thick brown envelope over to Haymitch by way of explanation. Haymitch gave Troy a curious glance before the pushed back the flap of the envelope and pulled out the stack of papers inside; two thin papers stapled together and there were numerous of those stapled documents. Haymitch didn't bother counting. He thumbed through them, growing increasingly anxious, uncomfortable and angry as he glimpsed the titles on the papers.

"These are adoption application for the boys! These people they're…" Haymitch trailed off. "You can't be serious?"

"The Family and Social Services Department have been receiving numerous applications from multiple adoption agencies all requesting to adopt the twins. Haymitch, it's been coming in at an increasingly steady pace and these people… some of them have come to visit the twins. We believe it was during the period when you were overwhelmed with visitors prior to moving Tristan to a private ward."

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Tristan's scream rang like a sharp siren throughout the hallway.

"Easy there, peanut," Haymitch murmured.

And then, the child's delighted peals of laughter filled their ears. For Tristan, happiness was a simple affair. Happiness meant his mother's kisses, sleeping on his father's chest, his brother's presence and recently, not being at the hospital.

The wide smile of his face was a welcome sight to both Effie and Haymitch after days of seeing him upset and pouting.

"Is it my birthday, dada?" he queried, brows crinkling in confusion.

"Nah," Haymitch chuckled. "You've got a few more months to go. Uncle Felix just wanna give you a surprise to welcome you home. He scares you?"

"Nope, I'm brave!" Tristan said proudly. He had heard the nurses telling him how brave he was over and over again whenever they came to draw his blood or to do some procedures on him and now, he was just repeating what he heard. "What does it say?" he pointed towards the banner.

"It says ' _Welcome home_ '," Effie answered.

Ethan who had climbed on to the coffee table, trying to reach for the one of the helium balloons stuck to the ceiling turned towards his brother.

"I helped! I helped with the deco…umm…"

"Decorations," Felix helped him out. "He sure did help by making a mess with the glitters."

"Yeah, and I had to clean it all up," Johanna grumbled.

Haymitch snorted. "Welcome to my daily life, Jo."

"I think it's pretty," Tristan said quietly.

It earned him multiple smooches from an overjoyed Felix. "My efforts were not in vain. He likes it!"

"Does Tristan gotta go back to the place where sick people sleep?" Ethan asked as he followed Haymitch into the living room.

"No, he doesn't. He's fine now. He needs a lot of rest so if he doesn't feel up to it you can't force him to play with you, yeah?"

Ethan nodded his head. He waited patiently as Haymitch settled Tristan on the sofa, adjusting the pillows and the blanket until he was comfortable. When Haymitch straightened up and stepped back, Ethan climbed on to the sofa and stretched next to his brother. Effie emerged from the kitchen carrying two milk bottles for the children.

Tristan curled on his side facing Ethan and before long he fell asleep next to his brother.

XxX

The moment he stepped foot in Effie's apartment, he inhaled deeply and felt himself relaxed ever so slightly. He never thought he could like the smell of potpourri before but he welcomed it now as long as it wasn't the antiseptic smell of a hospital room.

When night came, Haymitch collapsed on the bed, his hands stretched over his head as he arched his back while moaning loudly in obvious delight that Effie could only watch in amusement.

"You try spending your nights cramped in an armchair at the hospital, sweetheart," he grumbled, "then you'll know what it feels like to finally be on a goddamn bed."

Haymitch propped himself up and patted the space next to him, inviting her to join him.

"You poor thing," she teased, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"Hmmm," he hummed and pulled her close for a proper kiss. His fingers brushed the skin on her hip to trace lazy patterns on it. "I miss you."

Effie's lips curled into a pleased smile. "I do, too," she said, popping the buttons of his shirt one at a time.

Haymitch dipped his head to kiss her and they took their time kissing each other. It was gentle and slow as they savoured the moment they had together. Haymitch had not spent as much time with Effie ever since Tristan fell ill. He spent the night with Tristan and when Effie visited the hospital, he would spend his time with Ethan, to be fair. They didn't have time for each other until tonight and tomorrow, they would be back at Felix's place to be with the children since they had been given permission to visit daily instead of the usual weekly while Tristan is still recovering.

He pushed her robe off her shoulders and flung the garment to the far end of the room, trailing his hands all over her back and her sides and enjoying the feeling of her warm skin beneath his palms. Haymitch flipped them over so that she was on top and he pulled her all the way up to his chest so that he could wrap his arms around her. He held her tight, her naked breasts pressing against his bare chest.

"I miss you," he whispered gruffly, inhaling the smell of her hair.

Effie wriggled until he loosened his hold on her. She brushed his hair back and planted soft kisses all over his face. He adjusted her position on him until she was rubbing against his obvious arousal and Effie chuckled.

"You should sleep. You haven't been sleeping well since Tristan was hospitalized. You're tired and exhausted."

"I'm not now," he frowned as he reached up to fondle with her breast.

It made her laugh and she got off him to lie down next to him. Effie reached over to switch off the night lamp. He would have thought that she was brushing him off if it wasn't for the fact that she pulled his arm to drape it over herself and wriggled back against him until they were spooning.

"Go to sleep, Haymitch," she mumbled sleepily. "We'll have plenty of time to do that when you're well rested."

For a long while, the only sound in the dark room was their breathing. That was until Haymitch propped himself up and rested his weight on his elbow, to look at her contemplatively.

"Sweetheart, are you sayin' that I don't perform well when I don't have enough sleep?"

It took everything that she got to stop herself from laughing and she tried hard to even out her breathing so that he would think that she was already asleep. She didn't want to have to answer that question and risk bruising his ego.

"Are you _really_ asleep?" he grunted. He waited for an answer but there was nothing forthcoming from her. Effie felt his lips on her temple as he kissed her. "I have somethin' to tell you but I guess that can wait 'till tomorrow. Goodnight, sweetheart."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tristan finally gets to sleep next to his brother and Effie is back to sleeping with Haymitch. Also, Effie isn't aware about people wanting to adopt her children so she'll find out soon!
> 
> I know it's a short chapter but please leave a review and let me know your opinion :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

When daylight broke through the dawn and chase the darkness away, Haymitch felt her stirred next to him. Groggy with sleep, Haymitch turned his head away, mumbling 'five more minutes' under his breath. Somehow, he was vaguely aware of her pulling the covers up to keep him warm and the feel of her soft lips against his cheek.

When he finally woke up some time later, Effie was already in the shower, humming to herself. He yawned and got off the bed, discarding his pants on his way to the bathroom with the intention of joining her.

There was something nagging at the back of his mind but he pushed it away. There will be time to tell her later. Not now; not when she was singing in the shower and smiling at him when he entered the bathroom; not when she laced their fingers together and guided him under the shower head and certainly not when he was pressing her back against the wall, coaxing a moan out of her and trying to make her beg.

She was distracting and he was procrastinating, he knew that. When they finally stepped out, got dressed - which was another disruptive affair that morning because somehow, they couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other – and moved to the kitchen for breakfast, Haymitch watched her carefully over the rim of his coffee mug.

He had always known that Effie was a tactile person but he never realize just how much of a tactile person she was. Her fingers brushed against his when she handed him things and her touch lingered on his whenever it could. It took him a while but he soon realized that ever since he told her how he felt about her, she was less hesitant and more confident about initiating contact.

As for him, twice this morning, he caught himself having to resist the urge to kiss her, not to start anything sexual, but to just kiss her because he could, because she was _his._ It was liberating, he noted, not only for him, but for her to hear him said the words even if it was just that one time.

"Have breakfast with me," he requested.

"Go ahead," she smiled over her shoulder. "I'm going to pack some snacks for the boys. We're leaving after you're done with breakfast, yes?"

"We still have some time. They're probably still asleep," he hooked his leg over the empty stool and pulled it out for her. Haymitch patted the surface, "come on."

Effie hesitated briefly but eventually, she put aside the individual lunch boxes she had set out for the boys' snack and sat next to him. She began piling toasts on her plate and watched quietly when Haymitch cut slices of bananas for her toasts.

"What's the matter, Haymitch?" she touched his hand lightly.

He shrugged. "Why? Can't we have breakfast together without you thinkin' something's wrong, sweetheart?"

"We could, except…" Effie trailed off, reaching over to grab his cup of coffee. She sniffed it. "There's whiskey in your coffee," she pointed out. "You've stopped this habit unless something is bothering you. What is it? You know, you can talk to me, yes?"

His lips twitched. At times, it still surprised him how well she could read him.

"It's about the boys," he told her, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles in a soothing manner. "Something came up –"

Effie tensed immediately. She touched her neck, a sign that she was uncomfortable. "Did we get custody back? The interviews are all done, so do we have the outcome?"

"No, not yet, " Haymitch shook his head. "I spoke to Troy yesterday mornin' and he said to give it a few more weeks."

"A few more weeks?" her brows crinkled. She looked at him unhappily. "How long more are we supposed to wait? We've been through enough, Haymitch."

"Sweetheart…"

"I want my babies back," she cried. "I – I just want to go home."

Haymitch frowned. He needed her to be calm but right now, she was working herself into a state. The past few weeks had been stressful for them, especially for Effie who was not used to being separated from Ethan and Tristan but he thought she was calm enough this morning for him to be having this conversation.

He stood up abruptly which surprised her. Haymitch cleared his plate but left her untouched breakfast on the table.

"Eat," he told her.

"The children miss home. Felix has been very helpful and so is Johanna but how long… how long are we going to inconvenience them?"

Haymitch said nothing. He washed his own plate, wiped it dry and kept it away. When he came back, Effie was nibbling on her toast. He dropped a kiss on the side of her neck.

"Felix enjoys playing the uncle and Johanna… She doesn't talk 'bout it but being 'round the boys help to keep her grounded. She spent years being around Gale's brothers' and sister, so having children 'round her is second nature by now, I think. She might even miss them a little but she ain't ready to visit 'cause she'll have to see him."

"Gale? I don't see why they're both so stubborn. They were friends in Thirteen. The end of their marriage doesn't have to end in their friendship."

He gave a nonchalant shrug and straightened up. Effie leaned back against him, head resting against his stomach. "It's not about them. I wanted to talk to you 'bout our boys. You know your sons are quite the stars."

Effie turned in her seat, breakfast forgotten.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," he brushed her hair back as her hands circled around his waist. "All those visitors at the hospital, you remember?"

"Yes."

"And there was a story the papers ran about Tristan being in the hospital… Then there's another before that about us losing custody so basically, people think we're quite hopeless – ain't true by the way - and now, there's been quite a few of them sending in applications to adopt the boys."

The air was still around them and the silence thick. Effie had told him countless times that he was always truthful to the point of being blunt, and sometimes he tried to be tactful but it never quite worked for him.

"What did you say?" her head snapped up to look at him. Effie tried to stand up but Haymitch rested his hands on her shoulders, keeping her firmly in her seat. "Adopt?"

"Yeah, adopt the boys. I've got their applications, a whole stack of them. Troy gave them to me while we were at the hospital."

"At the hospital? You kept this from me?"

Haymitch traced her collarbone with a lone finger, a poor attempt at trying to distract her. "You had enough on your plate."

"You _should_ have told me."

"I'm tellin' you now," he countered. "I didn't want you to worry."

Effie heaved a breath. "I know you mean well but I wish you had told me. You should share news as grave as this with me so we can worry about it together. You've been thinking about this for days, haven't you?"

He nodded.

"You shouldn't have to carry the burden all on your own," she slipped her hand into his. "People are trying to take our children away, Haymitch."

"Apparently, that seems to be the in-thing to do at the moment," he mused. "Let's see how we can take the Abernathy boys away from their parents."

"Don't joke about something like this," she hit his stomach lightly. "Be serious."

"Fine," he frowned. " _Seriously_ , there's nothin' to worry about. I'm tellin' you this now 'cause there's really nothing to be concerned about."

"How so?"

"I did my research," he told her. "If anyone wants to adopt the boys, they've got to ask for _our_ consent. We're their biological parents and we ain't dead yet, are we, sweetheart? We're still alive. The law says that we've got to _agree_ to give them up for adoption"

"Which we won't," Effie stressed the point and then she blinked. "There's always a 'but', isn't it?"

Haymitch winced. "Yeah… _If_ we lose custody of the children, then it doesn't matter if we agree or not, if we consent to the adoption or not. We just have to be informed that they're going to be adopted."

"That is preposterous, Haymitch! That is the most absurd, illogical thing I have ever heard in _my_ life," she snapped, jumping to her feet. "It can't be!"

 _Good,_ Haymitch thought. It was better to have her behave this way. He wanted to see the fire in her eyes. He wanted to see her burn with passion and rage. He wanted the sense of protectiveness to fully encompass her. He needed her to fight alongside him.

"Losing custody of my children does not erase the fact that I'm _still_ their mother. I gave birth to them, Haymitch!" she voice rang sharply in the kitchen. "This is ridiculous. What the exception implies is that if we lose custody, we lose all of our rights over them."

"Basically," Haymitch nodded. "We have no say in matters concerning their lifestyle, education and so on."

"It's archaic," she declared.

"We're going back in times, don't you know? Arranging for people to get married and making it mandatory," he mocked. "Glad that's behind us now."

"We're not going to lose custody. It's that simple," she stopped pacing to stand in front of him, her blue eyes flashing with determination. The intensity made him worried. "I am going to make Elias tell the truth."

"Wha – no, no," Haymitch shook his head. He wanted her to fight alongside him, yes, but not in this manner. "You should leave him to me."

"He's my cousin and he _will_ right his wrongs. You're with me, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I agree he's got to fix this whole mess but I don't want you involved with him any further than necessary, Effie. You know how he is, it's too dangerous."

"It's too late. He's already unhappy with me after I rejected the arrangement he had with Klaus and besides," Effie propped her hand on her hip, "you and I made our boys, _together._ "

Haymitch blinked, surprised.

"It takes two to create a baby so you and I will get them back, _together_. We're both in this."

"Alright," he said slowly, acquiescing to her. She was right. They were a team. They had always been and if he wanted her to fight with him, he could start by trusting her with this. "How are we going to make him tell the truth?"

Her lips stretched into a smile and her eyes gleamed as she schemed. "Elias did not rise up to that stature without making enemies in the process. Do you remember when Felix said Elias wanted to change the properties here in the city which he held under his name to Felix's? This was back when the law was _just_ dissolved. Have you ever wondered why?"

Haymitch remembered so he nodded but he had never thought about it. He wasn't interested.

"His marriage was annulled and he never renewed it. There must be a reason and we're going to find out why."

"Maybe they just ain't in love with each other," he shrugged. "It happens."

"After that incident in the hospital, rest assured, Haymitch, love is the last driving motivation when it comes to my cousin."

"Yeah, so? What do you want to do, sweetheart? Find his ex-wife?"

"That's exactly what we're going to do. We're going to talk to his ex-wife," she smirked. "Who better to divulge secrets then a disgruntled former wife, yes? After all, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify, I hope you remember that bathroom scene in Chapter 13, so after Haymitch told her how he felt about her, they never actually had time to themselves because Tristan fell sick soon. This is the first down time they had to be alone together after all of that so that's probably why they're a little handsy.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The marker was gripped tight in Ethan's hand. The child sat cross-legged on the floor with his tongue between his teeth as he concentrated hard on the task at hand. His brother sat in front of him quietly, not moving a muscle and allowing Ethan to do as he pleased without so much as a complain.

When Ethan drew back with a smile indicating that he was done, they both stood up and ran towards the hallway, dragging a stool along. They climbed on it, balancing carefully, and giggled in amusement when they saw their reflection.

"My turn," Tristan announced. "Let's go!"

They ran back to the living room. The television was playing Tristan's favourite show but it was ignored. There were numerous marker pens laid out and Tristan grabbed a red marker. Kneeling in front of his brother, he set to work, colouring Ethan's nose. They repeated the process, running back to the mirror and breaking out in laughter when they saw their faces.

"She's the best person to speak to. I supposed Plutarch would be able to help locate Elias' – what are the two of you doing?" Effie demanded when she saw the two young boys on the way to the kitchen to refill everyone's drinks.

"We're doing art!" Ethan answered proudly. "We're colouring on our faces like you do to look pretty!"

"Uh-huh," Tristan nodded.

"I don't use marker pens, darlings," Effie sighed.

"But we saw it on TV," Tristan argued. "Ethan wanna be a clown."

"I remember tellin' your mother a long time ago that she looks like a clown," Haymitch burst out laughing only to cover it hastily with a cough when Effie glared at him. "A very beautiful clown…"

"Do I look like a clown, dada?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded. "Good job on the art. Now, wanna go to the park?"

"Haymitch!" Effie hissed. "We're not done discussing. Besides, none of you are going to the park looking like that."

"It's okay," Tristan swept his blonde hair out of his eyes. Effie made a mental note to send the boy for a haircut. "We wanna – "

"- do more art," Ethan completed his brother's sentence.

"Alright, no park," Haymitch shrugged. "Do your art but do it on a drawing paper or somethin' - go get some paper, tiger - before your mother has a fit."

"In my room," Felix raised his voice from the dining table where he was seated with Johanna. "I've got some paper. Go get it."

Johanna grabbed the jug Haymitch brought in and poured a drink for herself. "Like I was saying, yeah, sure I think going after his wife would probably give you some blackmail material –"

Effie shifted in her seat, slightly uncomfortable with what Johanna was saying. "It's not exactly blackmail… We just need some information that could help – "

"You're looking for pressure point," Johanna scowled. "That's blackmail."

"It's blackmail," Haymitch agreed. He reached for her hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We gotta do it. Don't get cold feet on me now, sweetheart."

"Yeah, so, back to my point, you gotta be real sure that she won't turn on you and blow it all up in your faces."

"I don't think you will have anything to worry about on that front," Felix assured them. "They're not on good terms from what I managed to gather."

"Mama!" Ethan screamed from the living room after a long bout of silence which should have been suspicious except Effie was occupied. "We're gonna get –"

"No – We're already naked! We're not wearing clothes," Tristan chimed in before they heard them laughing in glee.

Effie and Haymitch exchanged a glance, an expression of dread settled over their features. It was the look of someone who knew just what sort of trouble and mischief the children could cause.

Felix couldn't hide the grin from his face. "More art?"

"Mama, come look," Tristan urged.

Effie rubbed her temple.

"Come out here, peanut," Haymitch replied. "Bring your brother along."

They heard the sound of their footsteps running across the room and when they emerged, Effie shrieked. Haymitch stared at his boys while Johanna burst out laughing.

"Oh, shit, Trinket's gonna lose her head," she managed between laughter.

The boys blinked in confusion and then they broke into a grin, taking Johanna's laughter as a good sign. Tristan's upper body was covered in chocolate syrup and he used his finger to occasionally lick the sweet treat off his sides. Haymitch knelt in front of Ethan and sniffed.

"This one's covered himself in butter," Haymitch reported. "You both are gonna tell me why you're playin' with food, right now."

Tristan bit his lips, eyes darting from his mother to his father, unused to the stern tone in his father's voice. Effie was always the disciplinarian in the house but when it was Haymitch doing the scolding, the boys knew not to trifle with him.

"Tristan Abernathy," Haymitch jostled the child lightly. "You first - start talkin' – and it better be a good explanation."

"We weren't playin' with food," Ethan frowned, stepping in front of his brother and standing up for him. "Adults do it so we wanna try, too."

"What do you mean?" Haymitch asked.

Ethan's gaze fell on Felix and Johanna, and it clicked because Felix's eyes widened in alarm, as did Johanna's.

"Oh, no, no, shush," Felix put a finger to his lips.

"Okay… What have you _both_ done, now?" Haymitch raised an eyebrow, looking at each of Johanna and Felix in turn.

"Didn't do anything," Johanna waved his concerns away. "So they poured syrup and played with butter, so what? It's no big deal. Wanna clean up and maybe go to the pool? I'll watch over."

"Hold on a second," Effie stopped her. "They need to learn _not_ to play with food. They're not going anywhere." Turning to the boys, she said, "Well, you heard your father, one of you better start explaining."

"Uncle Felix said it was fun. We heard him. We just wanna have fun," Tristan stared at the floor.

"Yeah," Ethan nodded enthusiastically. "Can I have whip cream and strawberries? Uncle Felix said licking whip cream from the face is nice. Right?"

"What?" Effie exploded. She was staring at Felix, silently demanding an explanation.

Felix ran his fingers through his hair, chuckling nervously. "They must have overhead what Johanna and I were talking about yesterday night… This house is small, so they must have heard from their room. We… Well, we thought they were asleep…"

"And do tell, what this topic of conversation was about," Effie pursed her lips.

"I think we all know what it was about, sweetheart," Haymitch smirked.

"Cover your ears, both you," Effie instructed her children. Thinking it was a game, they did as they were told. "Please tell me you were not talking about intercourse… Or worst, having sexual intercourse in the presence of my children!"

"Um, I don't lean her way …" Felix jerked her head in Johanna's direction.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Trinket, as if you two had never fucked with your children in the next room," Johanna rolled her eyes.

"Well, I never," Effie huffed. "And you're being exceptionally vulgar."

"Oh, really," Johanna challenged. "Their nursery is right next to your room back in Twelve, isn't it? What? You both escaped down to the cellar each time the urge checked in and you needed to rub against each other."

"That's an idea, we've never done it down at the cellar," Haymitch wriggled his eyebrows.

"Be serious, Haymitch," Effie smacked his stomach. She sent both boys back to the living room with strict instructions not to touch anything.

"I left my children with two _responsible_ adults and I never expected them to pick up such… such…"

Haymitch rested his hand at the small of her back. "Calm down. The boys have no idea what's truly going on. They think it's just a game with whip cream and syrup."

"Yes, but what if others had heard it. They would think that our children walked in on us doing – did they saw you?"

"We weren't having sex!" Johanna exclaimed. "We were just talking about kinks; what's fun and what's not. I don't expect you to understand. You're probably no fun at all in bed," she scoffed.

"Hey," Haymitch frowned. "She keeps me happy. Effie's pretty wild when -"

Johanna clamped her hands over her ears. "I don't want to fucking know what goes on behind closed doors."

"I want no part in this conversation anymore. Excuse me, while I educate my children about where chocolate syrup and whip cream should and should not go. Come along, Haymitch, you'll have to reinforce it to them."

"Bossy," Haymitch muttered.

When they were both gone, Felix glanced over at Johanna. "He's pretty whipped, don't you think?"

"Oh, yeah, he is. He's gone. Don't let him hear you say that, though. "

XxX

Thalia Menard was a not a difficult woman to find despite having different properties to her name across Panem.

Haymitch and Effie had been worried that she would be in one of the districts because that would require them to make a short trip, leaving their children behind and Haymitch was sure Tristan would not take it lightly.

Fortunately for them, she happened to be in the City. Effie had wanted to call ahead and inform Thalia of their visit but Haymitch wouldn't allow her to. He wanted them to turn up unannounced since it would not give her any opportunity to warn Elias, in case she was not on their side.

Still, she received them into her home after the initial surprise had passed and showed them to the sitting room after the introductions had been made.

"Please, have a seat," she gestured.

Thalia made no move to offer them anything to drink and Effie, well-adverse in reading between the lines, understood this as a sign that she did not appreciate them suddenly just turning up on her doorstep.

"I apologise if our presence makes you uncomfortable," Effie began.

"Ease your mind," she smiled. "I would not have invited you in otherwise, although, I would have appreciated it if you could have let me know beforehand."

"Yes, that is only proper," Effie agreed. "It's just that the nature of our visit…. It's delicate."

"I must admit, I am intrigued as to why the both of you are here. Is there something I could help you with?"

"You must have read about our children," Haymitch said. "The papers reported on us losing custody of them."

"I did, yes. How is your son… Tristan? He was taken ill, was he not?"

"Tristan is doing well, thank you for asking," Effie thanked her. "I was just wondering - do you know anything about the investigation? Did… Did Elias say anything at all to you?"

Thalia studied them both, brows crinkling slightly in confusion.

"Elias? No, no, we haven't spoken since the separation. I'm not certain how I could be of any help –"

"It started out with him. That bastard filed – "

Effie squeezed his knee in a silent warning to mind his language.

" – a report claiming we were unfit parents – that I'm a drunk and Effie's mentally unstable – which as you know, resulted in our custody being wrestled from us."

"Oh my, I wasn't aware that it was him," Thalia covered her mouth, taken aback at that information. "I've seen you on television year after year during the Games. Yes, you were an uncouth drunk. There was no denying that but… You seem like a different person now. To tell you the truth, I was surprised when you walked in earlier because you looked nothing like the Haymitch Abernathy I know."

"Yeah, well," Haymitch rubbed the back of his neck. "I've got my two boys now."

"I see…. I had no idea Elias would do such a thing. He's too much," she shook her head. "And to his own family, no less. He adores you, Effie. He does but… I can never really tell how his mind works at times."

"I'm finding it more and more difficult to believe that he cares about me at all," Effie blinked and dropped her gaze. There was a hint of sadness in her voice. "The situation has escalated in recent weeks. There are people… wanting to adopt our children. They've made the applications and they're waiting on our consent."

"Which you are not giving…"

"No, we're not. As of now, we are still able to refuse consent but that will change if we lose custody. It won't matter anymore and it is imperative that the children's custody remains with us."

Effie inhaled deeply. Her hand shook slightly but she folded them neatly in her lap.

"We are not bad parents. Haymitch and I, we each had a past which undoubtedly left a mark on us. We are trying to be a better person for each other and for the boys. Everybody has demons and we're learning to control ours. Our children are everything to us and we love them dearly. We are not crippled by our past, we're learning to move past it but Elias is using it as a weakness to further his own agenda. He's dragging it all out in the open because – "

"Of a grudge," Thalia finished. "I am beginning to understand the bigger picture. At least I think I do. Is this, by any chance, related to Klaus and his company?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded. "Look, Adler's not to be blamed. We know that. Fact is, I don't think Adler knows what's going on either. That don't mean your ex-husband won't go after him sooner or later. He's big on this revenge thing."

"Oh, I know," Thalia laughed softly. "He never liked to be made to look like a fool. He is going after my money and it looks like he is going after you. I won't be surprised if Klaus will soon be dragged into the mud. I should probably warn him, just in case," she mused.

"He is after your money?" Effie queried, shocked by the information.

"Yes. Silly, greedy man, but there will be time for that later. Now, tell me, dear, how I can help."

"We just want our children," Effie told her in earnest. "I wish he had taken out his anger on _me_ personally, not my family and not my children. I have never wanted my children to suffer for my choices. I chose their father over Klaus and now they have to pay for it? It's not how it is supposed to work. If… If we could get Elias to admit to the truth and retract his report, the Family and Social Services Department would strike out the investigation. The Courts will return the custody to us."

"But it won't be that easy," Haymitch added. "He won't agree unless there's a compelling reason to do so."

A hint of a smile played on Thalia's lips when she heard it.

"Ah, so that explains why you are here," she sat back and crossed her legs. "You want my help to twist his arm behind his back."

"Blunt but yes," Haymitch gave a curt nod.

"If that is the case, then I supposed, neither you nor Effie would have a problem working with me to put him in prison, for good," Thalia smirked.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've missed the Abernathy Twins as much as I miss writing them so, there you have it, them being a source of headache and picking up things they're not supposed to pick up.


	21. Chapter 21

 

**Chapter 21**

Effie started badly at the mention of prison. She glanced uncertainly at Haymitch, equally unprepared for what Thalia was asking from them.

"I beg your pardon, but did you say prison?" Effie asked.

"Yes," her eyes gleamed in the dim lighting of the sitting room. "A punishment fitting for a man like him, don't you think? His incarceration will bring the downfall of his reputation, and that is what Elias values above all others, aside from his money of course."

"Alright, just back it up here for a second," Haymitch raised a hand to stop her. "You want to send your ex-husband to prison – why?"

"For the sole reason that _he_ wanted to ruin me so I will do the same to him," a smile played on her lips. "I am merely returning the favour in kind."

Effie blinked, not quite expecting it. "He might have done something unsavoury towards you but Elias has not done anything to _us_ that could put him in prison," Effie explained. "We have no case against him. Surely what he's done to you could not amount to anything criminal?"

"Ah, let's see… Forgery, fraud, bribery," she ticked off her fingers one at a time, "just to name a few."

The surprise sat on Haymitch's features. This was news to them. None of them had thought Elias would cross the line that far but it just showed how little either of them knew Elias, especially Effie.

"Fraud? What'd he do?" Haymitch asked, leaning forward in his seat.

Thalia sighed and resigned herself to explaining the situation to Effie and Haymitch. It was not wrong of them to ask before agreeing to anything. She _had_ read the papers on them losing custody which was something she had pitied them for and could not quite understand why it was so. From what she saw of them on television and on the papers before the law was dissolved, they seemed like a pair of parents who cared about their children. Until Elias came into the picture, Thalia thought the paparazzi could possibly have blown a partial truth into something big.

If it meant that they have a common enemy in Elias, then Thalia was willing to tell them the truth of Elias' wrongdoings against her.

"There is a word the teenagers in this city are fond of using nowadays… Shady is the word, if I remember correctly, and it describes Elias perfectly. He has always been shady," Thalia told them. "There were business deals that he was involved in that were doubtful, not by the book, so to speak. He cuts corners and take short cuts but he gets things done. When the law was dissolved, Elias' devious behavior became more apparent. Or perhaps, it was apparent because he was doing it to _me."_

Thalia paused for a moment, signaling to an Avox to bring out the tea. Haymitch frowned at the present of the Avox but said nothing.

Avoxes were no longer slaved servants, they were given their freedom but after years of being enslaved, most had lost their family members or could not reconnect with their families, some had difficulties assimilating with the rest of the society and only knew to serve. Laws were drafted to regulate the employment of Avoxes. They were to be provided a monthly salary and given the same rights as any other employees in the country.

"When the law was dissolved, Elias was quick to secure his claim on our assets and properties, some of which he did not even have a rightful claim to. The land in District Seven belonged to _both_ of us but he bribed a clerk at the title deed's office to have our joint name strike off so that only his remained."

"That is impossible, bribery or not," Effie shook her head. "You would have to sign a document to transfer your name to his in the title deed."

"Exactly," Thalia nodded. "My signature was forged on the document. He was using it as a leverage to get me to renew our marriage. He told me he could do what he did to our land in Seven to our resort in Four, together with our money in the bank accounts. I refused to renew under such vile threats."

"Understandable," said Haymitch. "Felix told me that you agreed to marry that son of a bitch in the first place because of a business partnership. So threats aside, if you'd renew it, you could still have a hold on that resort, plus, that'd be good for your business, yeah?"

"Yes, I supposed it would be beneficial for my business. It was a good relationship," Thalia mused. "Elias was a good partner. Like I've said before, he gets things done. He's goal-oriented and he knew how to talk to investors. My father certainly adored him until he tried to steal from me. While we were married, our business grew tremendously and we reaped a sizeable profit. But Elias… He wanted more. He's always wanted more. I'm glad the law was dissolved because it shed light on him and it made realize the person he was. I cannot trust having someone like him in my business."

"Well," she took a breath, "now you have quite an understanding on why I want him in prison. I want my properties back and I won't have him around trying to take them away from me again. A crime is a crime, and not everything is about business or money. I cannot trust him; to renew our marriage and live together with someone I can no longer trust will be detrimental to me. It would create a toxic environment. I can always find another business partner, but there's only me to care and to look out for myself, don't you agree? "

"I'm – I'm not sure…" Effie hesitated. "Prison is … I've been in prison," she whispered it so softly but Haymitch and Thalia heard it all the same in the quiet room. "Prison isn't a place I want others to be in. He's my cousin. He's still family."

"Effie…" Haymitch called out, reaching out to touch her hand. "Hey, sweetheart, listen. Look at me."

When she turned towards him, her blue eyes were wide, staring and pleading at him silently. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles gently, reminding her that he was here and that this was real. He didn't want her to slip back into the past and lose herself, not at this moment.

"This isn't the same, Effs. It's not the same prison. It's nothin' like what you went through," he spoke to her quietly. "That time is over. Different people's in-charge now, different system, you understand?"

"Yes," she blinked, forcing a smile. "Yes, of course."

"He's willing to rip _our_ family apart, sweetheart," he reminded her. "He's proven again and again just how far he'd go. I'm not thrill 'bout throwing a man in prison but we're talking 'bout our family right now. He's not givin' you the same kind of consideration you're givin' him. He doesn't care about us, only what he can get."

"It doesn't mean we have to stoop to his level," Effie countered.

Haymitch shrugged. "Maybe you're right but personally, sweetheart, I don't care how low I'd have to go 'cause he's gone after my family and I ain't gonna stand for it. I ain't gonna spend sleepless night thinking 'bout how I shouldn't have put a man in prison 'cause I sure as hell ain't willing' to stay awake at night torturing myself 'bout the things I could have done to keep my family together, to keep my family safe. I've been there; I ain't going through it again."

"You and I both know how it's like in the Capitol," Thalia addressed Effie. "Friendships and acquaintances at times end up with people stabbing you in the back. There are people who enjoy watching others fall and Elias is one of those people. He wants to see you on the ground and defeated simply because it gives him immense pleasure from it. Think of when you've won back custody," she implored. "Do you really think he will stand aside to see you happy? No, he wouldn't. He will see it as a failure on his part and he doesn't like failing which is why I _have_ to take such drastic actions. It's for my safety more than revenge," she admitted.

"Look, sweetheart, she's got a point," Haymitch thread their fingers together and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "He'll come back and we'll never gonna have any peace. He might not even go after us. He might go directly for the children and frankly, I'd rather see him rot in jail than let him touch our family again. He's had so many chances to stop what was doing but he didn't. We can't let this go on, Effs."

"I have lodged a formal police complaint. Investigations are being carried out. It is all very discreet at the moment, nothing that could alert Elias to it. So I would appreciate your discretion as well."

"That ain't gonna be a problem," Haymitch assured her. "The clerk he bribed is a good lead. If he confessed, you'll have a case."

"Yes. You've read my thoughts. I've been assured that the clerk will be taken in for questioning. I'm sure it won't be long before they find more misconduct from Elias. I've had my suspicion on possible tax evasion but nothing I could help the investigation with. I'm giving the police my fullest cooperation."

Haymitch shifted in his seat to look at Effie, waiting for her to say something but she didn't, he touched her arm gently.

"We can use this," he told her. "We can bring this police investigation to the attention of the Family and Social Services Department. Do you know what it'll do to him?"

Effie shook her head.

"It'll impeach his character and cast doubts on his credibility. It'll make it seem like his words can't be trusted. Look, Elias filed that report on the basis that he was a concern family member but with all of these…. You see it, don't you? Come on, sweetheart, we've got somethin' good on our hands."

Effie bit her bottom lips, her mind going through all that Haymitch had said about staying awake at night considering all the possibilities and the 'what ifs' should anything went wrong. Was she prepared to help put her cousin in jail? Or was she willing to risk the possibility of putting her children in further harm?

In the end, it wasn't a difficult choice to make. She would protect her children at all costs. She would choose them again and again, every time.

Effie steeled herself. "What do you want from us in return?" she asked, finally.

Haymitch released a breath, relieved to know that she was agreeable to it.

"Simple," Thalia smiled. "I am aware of the deal he tried to strike with Haymitch - the one involving trading you in exchange for the help with the law. The law was still in place back then which mean that he would have contravened the marriage law. The deal would have been illegal and since he masterminded it…. I want you to tell the police the same. I would have included in my report at the police station but it would be better coming from you."

XxX

The living room in Effie's apartment was unrecognizable.

Troy had given them permission to bring the children home for the weekend and Effie had been so thankful, she tried to cook a meal for the two officers. It hadn't turned out well so she had cheated – Haymitch's words, not hers – and ordered takeout.

The children were ecstatic and they had worn out both parents with exhaustion. Still, Haymitch would take the exhaustion any day.

"Yeah, put it there, tiger. Just… place those stacks of magazines on top of the blanket to hold it down," Haymitch instructed. "Yeah, that's it. Good job."

Ethan did as he was told and it wasn't long before Haymitch announced that they were done. Ethan grinned from ear to ear as Haymitch stepped back to admire their handy work.

A large, thick duvet covered the floor. Multiple blankets were draped over the furniture in the room. Chairs were dragged over to provide support. Effie's magazines were brought out to hold the blanket in place. Inside the fort, there were flashlights, books, toys and building blocks.

Tristan peeped out from the kitchen to see their progress and ran out with excitement when he saw that the fort was ready.

Inside, Ethan was screaming.

"No!" he said angrily. "Dada built this fort for _me!_ Stay away."

"That's not fair! It's not fair. I wanna come in."

"Nope," Ethan smacked his lips, shaking his head and infuriating his brother. "I won't let you."

"Ethan," Effie frowned, leaving the kitchen to see what the commotion was about. "What did I say about sharing?"

"But Tristan didn't help me build the fort so he can't come in!"

"Neither did I, darling," Effie soften her voice. "Does this mean that I'm not welcome either? We had a plan, didn't we? Tristan and I will prepare the snacks and you'll help your father build the fort. How would you feel if Tristan wouldn't let you share the snacks because _he_ made them and you didn't? You're hurting his feelings."

Ethan kept quiet. Still, he remained inside the fort.

Haymitch pulled back the makeshift door, impatient with his son's behavior. "You're gonna let your brother in or you're gettin' out, tiger, and then I'm takin' this whole thing down. It's simple. What's it gonna be, huh?"

"Haymitch," Effie chided. "Don't threaten him that way."

"He'll never learn. I'm countin' to three, Ethan."

At two, Ethan reacted. He poked his head out. "Tristan can come in if he's got the password but you can't tell him, dada, 'cause it's supposed to be a secret word."

"Fine, I'll pass the message along," Haymitch rolled his eyes. Out of the corner of his mouth, he muttered to Effie, "his pet's name."

"Don't tell mama the secret word!" Ethan shouted as an afterthought except the damage was done. "Mama'll tell Tristan 'cause Tristan's her favourite."

"I _do not_ have a favourite!" Effie gasped, indignant at such accusation. "I love you both equally!"

"Aunt Jo said that you gave Tristan his name so he's your favourite! But it's okay, mama, I'm not mad. I'm dada's favourite 'cause he gave me my name!"

"I'm going to have a long talk with Johanna Mason," Effie hissed under her breath. "First the talk about sexual kinks and now this… this false assumption."

Haymitch chuckled but it quickly died out because Tristan was throwing a fit.

"You're not dada's favourite!" he stomped on his feet. "Dada loves me more! I know so."

Effie pinched the bridge of her nose, taking deep calming breaths.

"A'right, this is just ridiculous," Haymitch huffed. "There's not competition here. Nobody loves anybody more. Go give your brother his password, peanut. Go on. I'll get the snacks."

Tristan promptly forgot about that argument as he rushed towards the fort.

"Thank you," Effie stepped in front of Haymitch just as he was about to pass by her and gave him a peck on his lips. He smirked, insisting on a proper kiss before going to the kitchen. "Ethan, we're going to come in to your fort now, baby."

"Mmm, 'kay but what's the secret word, mama?"

"Dasher," she answered.

There was a brief moment of silence before the blanket was pulled back. Effie entered the huge fort with Tristan, taking in the surroundings and complimenting her son on a job well done. Haymitch entered not long after, delivering bowls of crackers, cheese, fruits and drinks. He left again to turn off the lights and the fairy lights that Ethan had wanted wrapped around the exterior of the fort lighted up in bright colours.

Tristan cheered, clapping his hand happily. "I like it, Ethan! I think it's pretty."

The four of them settled in with Effie curling up next to Haymitch. He wrapped his arm around her, dropping a kiss to her head and burying his nose in her hair while watching his boys making full use of the flashlight while they ate from their bowls.

"When we go back, can we make a fort, too?" Ethan queried, talking with his mouth full.

"Sure, yeah," Haymitch shrugged. "We'll have a bigger space, bigger fort, right?"

"Right," Ethan smiled. "We'll get Prim, too. Oh! And Finn. He can come to our home."

"Mama," Tristan wandered over and sat cross legged next to her. "How come Prim gets to stay with her mama and dada? Finn gets to stay with his mama, too. Why can't we do that?"

"Oh, no, Tristan, we can, of course," Effie brushed his hair away from his face. "We will all be staying together really soon. Just like Prim and Finn, I promise."

"Why not now?" he demanded. "We can go home now, like, we can take a train?"

"Right now's not possible. Your father and I just have to work some things out and when that's done, we'll all go home to Twelve to stay together like how we used to."

Having heard the conversation, Ethan joined in, frowning. "But Finn said we won't. Finn's learnt to read. So he's reading lots of things. He said… He said that you won't be our mama and dada anymore 'cause that's what lots of people are saying."

Effie sat up abruptly, shocked to the bones that her children had an inkling of it. She tried so hard to protect them and keep them away from the rumours and the news.

"That's not true. We're still your parents."

"Really?" Tristan looked at them hopefully. "'Cause Ethan and I want you to be our mama and dada forever and ever, and we promise to be good. We'll be really, really good."

"You're not going to fight with each other?" Haymitch smirked.

"No, we won't," Ethan said. Just as Tristan exclaimed, "We promise!"

"Look, you're stuck with us, alright. I'm your father and your mother's your mother, and it'll stay that way for a very, very long time," Haymitch looked at them in turn. "Don't listen to what people are sayin', you understand?"

Tristan nodded. "So you love me and Ethan, and you won't stop?"

"Ethan and I," Effie corrected.

"Never," Haymitch promised and nudged Effie. "Ain't that right?"

"We love you," Effie assured them, kissing each of them in turn. "Whatever happens, you must _never_ forget that. We love you more than anything else."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imagine Haymitch building a fort with Ethan, and imagine how they must have scoured the wardrobe for all the blankets in the Effie's apartment. I hope you've enjoyed reading this chapter. Please leave a review and see you in the next chapter!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very excited for you to read this chapter. Also a little nervous!

 

**Chapter 22**

Haymitch hooked a finger on the back of her dress and dropped a kiss between her shoulder blades, watching in satisfaction as the muscles contracted in response. She turned her head slightly, smiling at him over her shoulder and he smirked, placing another kiss at the corner of her mouth.

"You're a tease," her eyes twinkled.

Reaching out for his hands, Effie wrapped them around her mid-section. She leaned back against his chest just as he rested his cheek at the side of her head.

"I don't want to distract you from … whatever it is you're attempting to cook," he gestured at the mess of half cut mushrooms and carrots on the counter in front of her.

Effie laughed lightly, placing the knife down. "Will you please be a dear and get us take-out for dinner?"

"Or… I could have you," he mumbled, nibbling on the skin between her shoulder and her neck. "I thought you needed the distraction, anyway," he went on after Effie ducked from under his arms.

"Yes, but I won't be caught in the middle of making love to you when the detective arrive. How improper!" she shook her head.

"I meant the cooking, sweetheart. I was talking 'bout you making dinner to distract yourself."

"Oh," she blushed. "Well, you and I both know that that would only end in a disaster. I can't focus."

"I'll make us something to eat," he shrugged.

They were curled up on the sofa with Effie snuggled against Haymitch who was leaning back with his legs stretched out and up on the coffee table, sharing a plate of sandwiches when the doorbell rang. They exchanged a glance before Haymitch got up to open the door, letting the plainclothes detective in.

Thalia had suggested that she be the one to alert the investigators about the deal Elias had tried to strike with Haymitch. The idea was for the detective to go to them instead of them going to the authorities. Haymitch agreed because that way it wouldn't appear as if they were trying some underhanded method to win custody back.

"And after it's over, we'll alert the Family and Social Services Department that there's an investigation on Elias…" Effie had nodded in approval after she caught on.

"Yes," Thalia had smiled at her. "I wish you all the best with your children."

Neither Haymitch nor Effie knew precisely when they would be paid a visit but when Thalia called to inform them it could be today, they were prepared for it. Haymitch tried not to show it but he was growing agitated with the attention the children were getting - he wanted them back in Twelve, in Victor's Village where no cameras or paparazzi were allowed in – so when the detective finally arrived, he was more than glad for it.

Effie, on the other hand, was staring at the man.

"Orion," she breathed, extending her hand in greeting.

"Ah, the ever lovely Effie Trinket," he returned her smile, eyeing her in a way that did not sit well with Haymitch at all. "You look well. I thought it might have been you when I saw your name on my file. What a coincidence!"

"You know each other?"

Effie blinked and tugged on Haymitch's hand, pulling him closer and winding her arm around his waist. It was almost possessive, he noted, as if she was making a statement.

"Orion, this is my… _husband_ ," she settled on the word and placed enough stress on it for Haymitch to stiffen immediately. "Haymitch Abernathy."

_Husband._

He had not heard her refer to him as such since the law fell apart. He stole a glance at her and it was probably a good thing that Effie's attention was on Orion for her to miss the yearning in his eyes. He missed _belonging_ to her. He wasn't one for labels but when it came to her… He didn't quite mind it, he realized.

He should have renewed the marriage. He should never have let it gone this far. His thoughts would have gone on a winding path if Orion hadn't addressed him directly at the point.

"I know the famous Haymitch Abernathy, of course," Orion smiled and shook his hand. "You were quite the looker back in the days."

"He still is," Effie insisted and Haymitch frowned at her tone. "Why don't you take a sit, Orion? Would you like anything to drink?"

It wasn't a particularly long visit. Haymitch allowed Effie to take the reins and control the tone of the meeting. He felt as if she needed it. She wanted to get straight to business and Orion complied, asking questions and prying them for details.

Haymitch told him everything that happened in District Four. From being offered a room in Elias' resort, to meeting the man later and the conversation that followed. He told the detective about being offered help and money for the law in exchange for Effie.

"You didn't take his money, I hope," Orion tapped his pen against the edge of his notepad. "It is one thing to file appeals against the government's law – there's nothing illegal there since there's transparency – but it will be another to receive funding, and to exchange a human life for it. If we craft the charge carefully it _could_ be human trafficking. We'll see. Mr. Abernathy, if you did take the money…. Let's just say, human trafficking isn't a sentence that is meted out lightly."

It was a scare tactic and Haymitch knew it but Effie didn't because she had grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly in hers. He supposed even she did not see it coming.

"No," Haymitch shook his head. "Whatever funds Plutarch and I used, it was our own. I didn't take anything from him and I would _never_ subject Effie to that."

Orion nodded, closing the notepad and keeping his pen on his breast pocket. "You'd understand if we would have to ask the banks for your bank records, yes? This is just to collaborate your story."

"Yes, of course," Effie nodded. "We have nothing to hide."

"I would also have to take statements from Felix Lewis who was there to witness everything at District Four and Plutarch Heavensbee. Again, just to make sure all the stories lined up, nothing to worry. Well," he stood up and shook hands, "thank you for your cooperation. I appreciate it immensely. We've been investigating Elias for three years now on several accounts of tax evasion but as usual, the story is always much bigger."

"You were always good at finding the bigger stories, always the source for gossips," Effie pointed out.

"And don't you forget it. I'm a legend," he winked.

XxX

Years of practice had him training his ears, listening out for the tell-tale sounds that would indicate his sons were still awake before he caught himself, remembering that they were not together.

Haymitch snatched the framed photo of them from the bedside table and stared at it for a moment before placing it down carefully just the way he had taken it.

When Effie finally pulled the covers back and slid into bed, he asked her the very question that had been bothering him since Detective Orion left that afternoon.

"What was that about?"

"Hmmm?"

"With that detective… The way you acted…" he turned on his sides, propping himself to take a better look at her.

"It was nothing," she smiled at him, not quite meeting his eyes, "just someone from my old life."

"Yeah? There's _something_ … Come on, sweetheart, tell me," he nuzzled his nose against the side of her neck while his hand slipped under the nightgown. "You wear too much clothes to bed," he complained.

"I know you'd rather I sleep without a single stitch but it's cold at night."

"I'll keep you warm," he snickered.

Haymitch went back to licking and sucking the sensitive skin on her neck, his hand roaming her sides and leaving goosebumps in his wake. She stretched languidly under him as her own hands came up to rest on his waist.

"He had his eyes on you for the longest time," Effie confessed and Haymitch stiffened. He lifted his head, searching her eyes curiously. "The way Klaus did with me."

"You talkin' about me?"

Effie nodded. "I was with him…Orion and I were together for a year until I realized he was only using me to try and get close to you. I don't think I quite forgave him for playing with my feelings that way."

"Me?" he repeated himself, foolishly. "Nobody liked me in the Capitol. I was always just a good laugh."

"You had your fans," her lips twitched into a smile. "And if Finnick was the Capitol's darling, you were certainly their bad boy and to _some_ people, they find that persona enthralling. I, on the other hand, found it completely infuriating especially since you _never_ listen to me. In any case, I supposed Orion was one of them," she wrinkled her nose. "As it turned out, like I said, he was merely using me to get close to you. For a short while I actually resented you for it. You never had to work hard for people's affection but I did, and yes, I realized it was foolish. You were a victor and if anyone's to blame… It wasn't your fault. But I did care for Orion a lot at that point and it broke my heart that it wasn't me he wanted."

There were a few things he should have said to appease her but as she herself had said, it was foolish. Between them, Effie would have and should have had more affection. He was calloused and indifferent to people. He was rude and drunk. He got caught up in brawls he couldn't even remember about the next day. But Effie was pleasant to look at. She was sweet to the tributes. She spoke politely to people and she was a famous escort. She was lovely.

"You were jealous," he said instead. "You were possessive."

"I had to stake my claim," she grinned. "Foolish as it is, I guess, at the end of the day, I won, not him."

"I like you jealous," he grinned. "Though, I think, it's misplaced. Everybody knows by now who I belong to."

Haymitch ran his fingers through her hair absent-mindedly, studying the way her blue eyes shine in the dim room and the way her hair spread like a halo on the pillow.

"Do they?" she mused and coiled her fingers at the back of his neck. "People have gone back to calling me Miss _Trinket_ now, Haymitch."

He sighed. It circled back to what he had thought about that afternoon. Haymitch pushed himself off and flopped on his back, staring at the ceiling as a million thoughts raced through his mind.

"I've been thinking…."

"Does it hurt?" she teased lightly, propping her chin on his chest, watching him.

"I should have renewed the marriage like Plutarch had," he spoke after a while resolutely keeping his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He heard her sharp intake of breath at his admission. "I should have done that and we wouldn't be in this fucking mess."

"Haymitch…."

Her voice was soft, caught in between disbelief and rebuked. Her gentle fingers brushed against the base of his throat, a fleeting touch and he reached up to take her hand.

His eyes flickered to hers briefly to note that he had her full attention. She still took his breath away even after they had shared the same bed for more than five years.

 _She is beautiful,_ he thought, _and she's here with me, not in someone else's bed._

"It all started when we were trying to divide the custody between us," he continued. "Then _he_ came in and it's all a huge tangled mess right now, sweetheart. They're _our_ children and – "

She pressed her finger to his lips, silencing him.

"I believe everything happens for a reason," she said firmly and he scoffed. "It would be messier if we had done that. It wouldn't have been the right choice. You needed time to sort out your feelings – "

"I knew how I felt about our children… about you."

Her eyes softened but his burnt with ferocity.

"Do you doubt it?" he asked.

"No," she assured him gently. "I know you love me, you don't have to tell me every day. But you resisted the idea of being in love with me so much until recently. You needed time to come to terms with it and Haymitch, I don't regret those times when you were in Twelve and I was here with the boys."

"I never want to go through it again," he admitted. "Being away was…"

"I know. I missed you a lot but you needed that time to yourself… to think about what you want. You needed to realize what we meant to you. Above all, you needed to admit it to yourself. _You_ had to work it out. It had to be you making decisions for your own life this time – not Snow, not the Capitol, not the government, but you - otherwise, had we renewed the marriage _because_ of the children, you would have resented me in the long run. You'd feel as if you were compelled to do it. I needed the realisation to sink in for you and there is no rush for me. I will always be here but I don't want you to feel as if you need to stay married to me for their sake."

"Yeah, sweetheart, but if – "

"No, Haymitch," she shook her head. "I know what I want. I've always known. But you didn't. I hope that is no longer the case for you. Do you know what you want now?"

Haymitch let out a breath and then gently, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. In one swift move, he pulled her on top of him, feeling her weight heavy on him.

"Yes."

That one word was heavy with conviction and determination, and Effie nodded.

"Good."

He grabbed her chin and angled it so he could kiss her. It wasn't sweet in any way. It was insistent and almost desperate. She melted against him as she kissed him back. Their fingers laced together and she pinned his hands on the pillow, delighted that he had allowed her this small bit of control.

"I love you," she whispered when they broke apart.

She slumped against him, contented even if he was not if the way he was wiggling his hip and pressing himself against her was anything to go by.

"If you're not gonna go all the way with me tonight then, aren't you at least gonna ask what is it that I want?"

"Oh," she smiled devilishly as she reached down between them. "I think I know exactly what you want."

He rolled his eyes and swatted her hand away before it became too distracting.

"What's the matter with you?" he frowned. "That's something _I_ would say and do, not you."

"Maybe we've rubbed off on each other," she laughed and slid off him to curl on his side with her head resting on his arm.

"I'll tell you then," he propped himself up again as Effie stared at him, waiting patiently. "I will marry you."

It was a statement. Not a question, not an option.

He watched her face to see how she would react to it. His heart was hammering in his chest. Though, he supposed she would know since her own hand was resting against his chest.

Effie bit her lower lip to stop herself from saying anything that will ruin it. This was his moment and she would let him have it. Even if she wanted to say something, she didn't think she could. Her heart was stuck in her throat.

"I will marry you properly this time," he said, brows furrowed together.

He was being completely serious. He had to admit that this wasn't the first time the thought had crossed his mind. He had thought about it during his time alone in Twelve but there wasn't much time to dwell on it when their children's custody was hanging by a thread. But he was absolutely certain that this was what he wanted. It was her and nobody else.

He dreamt of waking up to warm mornings with her hair in his face and her arm slung over him. He dreamt of pancakes-Sunday with her and the children. He thought about her alone with her nightmares from the war and his heart ache because he wanted to be there to calm her down and soothe her. He imagined being lectured at length for encouraging the boys to climb trees and play in muds. He wanted to be that man in her life. He wanted to be the father in his children's life.

He knew what he wanted now. It had always been there in front of him. And it was easy. His life was falling into place and he owed a big part of it to her.

"I won't be drunk – I've changed, haven't I? I'm gonna make up for that disaster before. You'll get to plan the wedding the way you didn't get to the last time. You like those sort of things, yeah? Wedding dress… The decorations… Whatever. You get to choose it all, as long as I get to marry you."

"Haymitch…" she called out his name, brushing his hair back. He didn't realize. He was so focused, she found it endearing.

"No, no," he shook his head adamantly. "Listen, we'll do everything the way it's supposed to be, the way it should have been. I'm gonna do it right this time, for your sake."

"Haymitch!"

He faltered and then the hesitation flashed briefly in his eyes. His face closed up and he gritted his teeth. "You… You want to marry me, yeah?"

She chuckled and pressed her lips against his, holding him tightly to her. "Oh, Haymitch," she sighed. "You are very sweet. Has anybody told you that? What have I ever done to deserve you? You are so very sweet to me."

"Do you want to marry me or not, sweetheart?" he scowled.

"There's no need to be defensive," she laughed quietly. "There's nothing bad about being sweet. It won't ruin your reputation. Besides, who would believe me if I were to tell them that the ever grouchy Haymitch Abernathy has a sweet disposition to him?"

"For fuck's sake," he growled, taking her hands from around his neck to let it fall on the bed. He sat up, swinging his legs to the side of the bed and turning his back on her. "The boy made it sound so fucking easy. Ask her to marry you, he said. He forgot it's Effie Trinket we're talking about and she never makes it easy," he mumbled to himself.

Behind him, Effie had covered her mouth with her hand, picturing him sitting on his porch with Peeta and talking about marrying _her._ It made her heart swell and fluttered.

She lifted a finger and traced the curve of his spine. He fell silent almost immediately.

"The _proper_ way would have been to _ask_ and propose to me first. Make it _romantic_. But I supposed that was never your style. It's a good thing then that I like how you simply _assume_ that I will marry you."

"You're being difficult on purpose," he grumbled under his breath.

"Isn't that how you like me?"

She knelt behind him and wrapped her arms around him with her chin propped on his shoulder.

"I will be content with just a toasting," she said finally, kissing the spot below his earlobe. "I no longer need or want a grand wedding ceremony. I want it to be just us and the children with our family and friends, of course."

"Okay," he agreed, letting out a breath. "Okay, sweetheart, I'll bring you back to Twelve and I'll wed you. Our children can bear witness. After this whole is over."

"This is absolutely what you want?" she asked just to be sure. "You will marry me for life… I will never let you go."

"I don't plan on letting you go either," he smirked. "I want to make you my wife again and I your husband. We'll wake up every day next to each other – that's how it'll be. I want to watch the boys grow up with you by my side. I want to do all this because _I_ want it this time, not because a law is making me do it."

"You cannot possibly imagine, Haymitch, how much I love you," she told him, tightening her hold on him.

"No," he shook his head. "But you made me the center of _your_ world and you gave me a life I never thought was possible after …" he trailed off. She knew what he was about to say without him having to voice it. "Before you came, it wasn't a home. You've seen it for yourself when you had to extract me for the reaping year after year. But _you_ made me a home I could come back to every night and feel… contented and that, sweetheart, is what I want – a home with a family in it. I won't make you regret it."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end for this is so close. Just the issue of adoption and custody to resolve so we're nearly there :)))))))))
> 
> I hope you like this chapter. And you like Haymitch! Please leave a review. I really want to know your opinion on this.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

The morning after he proposed to her – debatable, really since Effie hardly considered that a proposal - Haymitch woke up to her kisses and a smile so bright it rivalled the sun shining through the bedroom window. It was a pleasant way and a beautiful sight to wake up to.

Her smile never faltered and never disappeared. Each time she caught his eyes, she would smile at him and each time she walked past him towards their room or to the living room, she would stop to kiss him.

It was not something he was used to but he was learning.

More often than not, the innocent kisses ended with her pinned against the wall and his hands roaming all over her. Sometimes, she would let him get away with it and carry her off to bed or to the sofa, whichever was nearest, but she was also good at wriggling out of reach if she didn't want to be distracted.

And that morning, Haymitch was doing a very good job distracting her. He had lifted her up on to the kitchen counter, nudging her legs apart so he could stand closer and was trying to push her dress off her shoulders.

"Haymitch, stop," she laughed lightly.

He ignored it and coiled his fingers on the back of her neck.

"You know, I'm bleeding," she told him casually and he froze with his lips at the base of her throat. "It's that time of the month…"

He stepped back and frowned.

"But you had it two weeks ago."

"I did," she jumped off the counter and straightened her dress. "I lied to you."

"What?"

"I had to," she chuckled. "We need to go see the boys! They're waiting."

It made him grumbled under his breath about it being a cheap shot and how he expected better from her. But Effie had learnt to ignore him when he was sulking, too happy to be meeting her children again.

Tristan and Ethan were already dressed, waiting for their arrival. The moment they saw their parents, the two boys squealed excitedly.

"Give us five minutes, alright," Haymitch spoke to them. "We need to talk to Felix 'bout something really important."

"It's okay," Effie laid her hand on Haymitch's arm. "I'll tell him. Felix and Elias may not always see eye to eye but he's still his brother. I should be the one to tell him."

"Alright, get me if you need anything," he squeezed her hand before taking the boys back into their room.

Tristan quickly roped Haymitch into helping him build his Lego houses and explained the rules of the games to his father.

"We're gonna play something really, really fun! Like when mama reads us a bedtime story, she'll pretend to be something…"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," Haymitch nodded. "She was the big bad wolf and then she was the three little pigs…. She calls it acting."

"So, ummm, Ethan's gonna pretend to be a very mean monster. But I gotta make all these houses first."

They spent the next ten minutes stacking up Legos and building houses while Ethan sat on the bed waiting with his legs swinging back and forth.

"Can I be the monster now?" he asked for the third time.

"Not yet," Tristan shook his head. "We gotta do the roof, right, dada?"

"Right," Haymitch nodded. "What colour?"

"Blue!" they both answered immediately.

Once everything was ready, Ethan took his position by the door, eager and ready for some action.

"No, move back," Tristan bossed his brother around. "Dada you must watch! Now the big, bad monster is gonna appear! Go Monster Ethan!"

Haymitch watched the entire thing with amusement; from Tristan standing next to him, adopting an authoritative stance to Ethan who had arranged his facial expression to look fearsome. He tried. Haymitch thought the boy looked more adorable than frightening but he kept his mouth shut.

"Stomp harder. You gotta be really scary!" Tristan ordered.

 _Bossy_ , Haymitch shook his head, _just like his mother._

Ethan started moving forward, stomping loudly on his feet and growling. His hands were raised in front of him, his fingers curled like claws.

"Looks like we've got a giant rampaging through the city," Haymitch commented and Tristan giggled at his father's involvement. "He's attacking from the right… He's lookin' for something. Is it a treasure chest? Is he a giant pirate? Or maybe he's hungry… He's looking for food."

"His princess!" Tristan exclaimed, clapping his hands in excitement. "Monster Ethan is looking for his princess."

Haymitch blinked and laughed, clearly not expecting that at all. "His princess… Okay, we'll go with that. There he goes scaring everyone away. Look at him smashing through a building. That ain't our house, yeah, peanut?"

"Nope! Our house is always safe."

"That's a relief."

"Where's my princess?" Ethan stomped his foot, demanding angrily, playing every bit the role he was supposed to play.

"You missed a house, Ethan!" Tristan pointed out, giving directions to where his brother should go. "It's the one with the blue roof! You didn't see that."

Ethan grabbed the house and smashed it to the ground with such dramatic effect that Haymitch laughed. "Still no princess," Ethan frowned, pouting. "You didn't put anything in the house."

"It's okay, Monster Ethan, there'll be other districts for you to find your princess," Tristan said. "She's just not in this one."

"But I'm supposed to find a princess."

"Maybe your princess thinks you're scary so she ran away," Haymitch shrugged.

"No," Ethan shook his head. He picked up the Lego pieces and kept them away in the toy box just as his mother had taught him. "Monster Ethan is scary 'cause his princess was taken. But he's actually not 'cause he's a really nice monster."

"Oh, is he?" Haymitch chuckled.

"Yeah," Tristan agreed with his brother. "People are scary when their things got taken. I'm scary when Ethan takes my colouring book. You're scary, too, because bad people took us away. But dada, you're actually really nice. You're not scary to us so Monster Ethan isn't scary to his princess, too, right Ethan?"

"Right," Ethan agreed. "But other people think he's scary. He's just really sad. Uncle Felix said you're really sad about us. Is it true?"

"Did he?"

"Yeah. But Uncle Felix also said that you're happy when you get to see us. Mama, too. Is mama happy today, dada? She didn't play with us," Ethan asked, climbing on the bed to sit next to his father.

"Yeah, she is," Haymitch wrapped his arm around the boy and dropped a kiss to his son's head. "You wanna know why, tiger?"

"Why?"

"Cause I'm gonna marry her."

"What's that mean?" Tristan frowned.

"It means if Monster Ethan found his princess, he's gonna make the princess his queen, right?"

"Yep!" Ethan answered enthusiastically.

"I'm gonna make your mother my queen."

Ethan giggled. "Can she wear a crown?"

"I think girls wear a tiara."

"Okay, then can we buy a tiara for mama?"

Haymitch shrugged. "Your mother's too old to wear a tiara."

"I'm not _old_ , Haymitch," Effie shook her head but there was a smile on her face.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," her eyes sparkled with mirth, "to know Ethan's looking for a princess and you're talking about queens."

"Mama," Ethan came to a stand in front of Effie. "If you're dada's queen, then can I be your prince? You only call Tristan your prince," he pouted.

XxX

Troy's and Ella's visit that night at Effie's apartment after they had dropped their children off was unexpected but it was a welcome visit because Haymitch had been meaning to let them know about Elias.

"A detective visited us two days ago," Haymitch casually dropped that into the conversation. "He had some questions for us about an ongoing investigation into Elias Lewis…."

At that, Troy exchanged a look with his colleague. "What sort of investigation? Did he tell?"

Haymitch shrugged. "From what I heard, there was quite a few; tax evasion, forgery, fraud. We were questioned about his involvement with the law and Detective Orion said something 'bout human trafficking."

Ella's eyes nearly bulged out of her socket when she heard it. She wasted no time in scribbling that down in her notepad.

"It is ironic, is it not?" Effie asked as she poured the tea into each of their cups. "For someone who is so concern about our children's well-being, so much so that he reported us to the Family and Social Department for our parenting capabilities, my _own_ cousin was committing a much more sinister crime."

It surprised him to hear her talking in such a tone about Elias. Effie, despite everything Elias had put her through thus far, had been hesitant about dragging her cousin down. He made a note to himself to ask what she and Felix had talked about that morning.

"We take reports filed in our department very seriously. We will look into it," Ella tried to appease her. "There will be a thorough background check now that this issue has been alerted to us. If need be, we will work together with the police department but you have to understand that our investigation is into you and Haymitch. Elias' wrongdoing would have no bearing on the outcome of your custody."

"But doesn't it say anything about his character? Could you trust someone who made a report, claiming to be concern about something when he himself is running from the law?" Haymitch pressed the point.

"This whole accusation against us being terrible parents is baseless," Effie pleaded. "It's a waste of everyone's time and it's the cost of much emotional trauma for my children, for Haymitch and for myself."

"I agree," Troy said, surprising them both. "This is why we came tonight. There's something we wanted to tell you, a little bit of news that I hope could lift your spirits and take you through the next two weeks or lesser. You have both done well so far with everything that has happened. We have put a stop to any further incoming adoption applications so please, do not worry on that front."

"It won't be long now before you'll get an answer on the outcome of your custody issue," Ella added. "Troy and I have covered everything that needed to be done. Do you remember what we told you earlier when we first visited you here – that there will be officers to observe you?"

Haymitch and Effie nodded. It was not something that could easily be forgotten. At times, when he was outside with his family, he found his eyes straying to take in the faces of people around them and trying to determine which one of those belong to an officer from the Family and Social Services Department.

"These observations placed on you both have already been retracted a week ago. Once observations ceased, it usually would not take more than a month before the verdict is out."

Haymitch leaned forward in his seat. "And?"

"I will give you my honest opinion. Ella and I both have discussed this and she agrees with what I have to say. The custody is looking good for you."

Effie sagged against Haymitch, clutching his hand tight in hers.

"We have both put in a good for you and the words of the case officials counts a lot in the grand scheme of things," Troy laughed.

"Thank – Thank you," Effie told them gratefully. "Thank you so much!"

"There's no need to thank us," Troy smiled. "We just report what we observed and what we learnt from our interviews. We have seen for ourselves the way you conduct yourselves towards your children and the way you behave with them. Not for one second did we think it was all for show, for theatrics, and we have seen plenty of those."

"Troy's right. There was absolutely no way either of you could fake such deep seated worry when Tristan was hospitalized. Perhaps Tristan falling sick was a blessing in disguise. I will be the first to admit that we observe you with more than the usual scrutiny during that particular period when Tristan was taken ill. You had both responsibly divided the workload in taking care of your children among yourselves."

"It is not an easy task to look after a sick child, I would know because my own daughter makes my head spin on normal days and even worse when she's sick," Ella told them. "Caring for a sick child is one thing but to have twins… Especially when one is sick and the other not is double the work and the effort.

"We didn't think about it that way, not in that manner," Effie spoke up. "We do it because they're our children and it is our responsibility as parents to care for them."

"Yes and you have showed us that."

"Back to the basis of the report, where the issue of Haymitch being a drunk was brought up," Troy said and Haymitch stiffened involuntarily. His fingers curled on Effie's knee and she covered it with her hand, silently providing him support.

"Not once have we seen Haymitch drink anything or was drunk. You've been sober during all of our interactions, even during surprise, unexpected visits like this one for instance. We believe you when you said that you only have one glass on most days to keep the shakes at bay, even if Katniss and Peeta had not said the same to back you up. You couldn't have lied about it because if you had and suddenly found yourselves being investigated by us, your first instinct would be to _act_ sober in which case, you would have suffered severe withdrawals. We have not seen you showing any symptoms of withdrawal."

Haymitch released a breath and nodded. "I wouldn't jeopardise my children."

"As for Effie, well, you have been truly marvellous," Ella said. "We understand that you have gone through some terrible experiences during the war but your doctor assured us that you have been doing well and you were quick to agree to treatment after your last relapsed a few years ago. Dr. Exton's very confident about your outlook. And you haven't broken down, well not in front of us," Ella smiled. "I have seen you upset yes, but nothing that would render you completely incapable of taking care of two young children. Even then, it was fairly understandable since you were separated from your children and Tristan fell sick not long after. Any mother would be upset."

"There are coping mechanisms that Dr. Exton had taught me in case I find myself in situations that cause me dire stress and I have Haymitch. He keeps me grounded. He helps a lot."

"You realise, of course, that none of that amounts to much if it wasn't for your children?" Troy grinned. "Children's behaviours are usually give-aways of how good or how bad the parenting is. Children try to lie to protect their parents and to be with them but they have not mastered the art of controlling their body language. That's how we know, that's how we can tell when parents are putting on a show for when we arrive because of how their children act around them and towards them; shifty eyes, tense, fearful and unnecessarily cautious. These children would not explore their surroundings for fear that they would get scolded later on. They seldom if ever take any initiative to do anything. They lash out and exhibit behavioural problems but your children are happy, as happy as children can get. They are carefree toddlers. We've observed them we followed you at times during your weekends."

"Spying, you mean?" Haymitch arched an eyebrow.

"You could put it that way but we were observing, and what we saw are two boys who adore and love their parents, and who feel safe being around you."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've given you so much angst now I'm giving you some happy chapters one at a time! I really hope you like this chapter and if you do, please leave a review and share with me the thoughts going through your mind as you were reading this.
> 
> :)


	24. Chapter 24

** Chapter 24 **

It happened subtly. Elias began to appear in the newspaper, one report at a time. He was never on the front page but stories about him were printed on the papers on an almost daily basis; rumours of problems with one of Panem's well-known businessman, sightings and speculations of investigations on him.

Effie hardly understood the reason behind the reports since she thought all along that the investigation was supposed to be low-key and that Elias wasn't supposed to be alerted to it but according to Felix who had spoken to Thalia after he met with Detective Orion, she had leaked the investigation to the press in an attempt to pressure him into making a mistake. Thalia wanted his arrest to be expedited so she could have a peace of mind.

Word was that Detective Orion was not happy with the leak.

When Effie told all of it to Haymitch, he had merely shrugged and proceeded to steal Effie's forgotten cup of coffee, telling her that they had done what needed to be done and it was time they stay out of it.

It was a good plan in theory except none of them had considered Elias giving Felix a visit at his house, raging with fury.

Felix, naturally, was taken aback by it. Elias had only visited him when there was something he wanted and from the looks of it, there wasn't anything he wanted this time. He was still impeccably dressed but his mannerism was off. His pupils were dilated and his hands shook as he stepped into the threshold of Felix's house, uninvited. His breathing came in short bursts, jaws clenched tight and he was tense.

"What have you done, Felix?" his voice was low and a chill ran down Felix's spine.

Elias calm demeanour was more often than not a cover for the temper he had brewing underneath. He was volatile and Felix had been on the receiving end of his brother's burst of anger far too many times.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Felix waved him off. "Now, why don't you tell me what you're here for because I have someplace to be…"

That outright denial was enough to crack his act and the anger spilt forth.

"Don't take me for a fool. You talked to the authorities, didn't you? You useless, good for nothing – "

"Shut up, Eli," Felix cut him off. "If you already think you know what I did, why are you here wasting your breath?"

"You're my brother," he spat. "And you threw me under the bus. You're happy to do it, too, didn't you? You were always so spineless. Ungrateful little brat."

"I said shut up. I've had enough of you telling me what to do and what not to do. You're not father. So stop it."

"You didn't have to rat me out," he shouted, spittle flying everywhere.

"I didn't rat you out. I didn't sell you out. I don't know anything about you to rat you out," Felix calmly defended himself. He crossed his legs and casually inspected his nails. "All I said when they came asking questions was that you asked to have my name on some of your properties. They asked me for documents and I gave it to them! If I didn't, they would have still come back and this time, it'll be with a warrant. If I didn't talk, they would have put me in jail for obstruction of justice."

"Then you should have stood up for me. Obstruction of justice is nothing. You should have gone to jail for _me_ – it'll mean jail time only for a few weeks, months at most. That's what family do, little brother. You're a goddamn traitor. You don't deserve the family name."

Felix was not a physically violent person by nature and avoided all kinds of fist fight when he grew up but what Elias said struck a nerve. He jumped to his feet and shoved Elias who stumbled back, surprised at the attack.

"You've turned into a ruffian," Elias snarled.

"Don't talk to me about _family_ ," Felix hissed. "You've done nothing but belittle me in front of your friends and acquaintances. You were so ashamed of me because I am nothing like you. You constantly put me down so you could feel better about yourself. You're my _brother_ ," he threw the words back at Elias. "You're my big brother. You're supposed to be there for me and to look out for me – that's what grandma told you to do before she died - but you've never done that, so how _dare_ you expect me to stand up for you when you've done nothing but tried to destroy the family that _I_ have. Effie is _our_ family. You've hurt her again and again. I have a family now that cares about me. I have Effie and Haymitch, and I have my nephews and Johanna. If you know what's good for you, then you stay away from them."

"They've taken everything!" Elias yelled. "Everything I worked for. I've built an empire, Felix, for _us_ and for the good of our family name."

"Except, what you really did was to pull every dirty trick you know to build that empire and don't insult me. It was never for us. It was for you. They didn't take anything from you, Eli. You brought that upon yourself because you're a greedy asshole – pardon my language - and now you're just mad because you're left with nothing. What's the matter, Elias? Thalia finally got it all? Or is it because you just realise you're in deep, deep trouble?"

"You shut your mouth."

"I don't think so. I'm finally going to tell you as it is. You're going to spend your life in jail for years of wrongdoing. I wonder… Would father be proud of you if he could see you now?" Felix scoffed.

Felix seldom had the upper hand when it came to Elias but it was different now and he intended to milk it as much as possible. The smirk settled on his face as he stared at Elias, silently challenging his brother to refute his words only for him to recoil violently from the force coming from his torso.

The smirk faded from his lips as he began to feel the pain in his chest. When he looked down, he saw the blood seeping through his clothes. His eyes widened in horror as his brain finally made the connection. Felix crumpled to the floor and stared up at his brother. Elias towered over him, the gun smoking in his hand.

His vision began to tunnel but Felix heard his front door broke open and he heard people shouting as they rushed in.

"You're under arrest! You're under arrest…"

Elias fell to the ground as he was tackled and as their gaze connected, Felix blacked out.

XxX

"Higher, dada!" Ethan squealed. "Push me higher!"

Haymitch chuckled and indulged him. Ethan was always testing and pushing boundaries. He had always wanted to go higher or faster.

From across the street, Effie watched in amusement. She paid the vendor and handed the ice cream cone to Tristan whose face split into a wide grin at the treat. Holding on to her son's hand, they crossed the street towards the playground and that was when Effie's eyes widened in alarm as Ethan released his hold on the swing and twisted his body so he was falling straight to the ground.

"Catch me!" he squealed.

Effie screamed because that was the only thing she could do. "Haymitch!"

She had never seen Haymitch moved so fast. He dashed forward, pushing the swing out of his way and stretched out his hands just as Ethan collapsed against his father, laughing happily. The smile, however, did not last long when he saw the thunderous expression on Haymitch's face.

"Don't you ever do that again! Do you understand?!" Haymitch shook the boy. "What if I hadn't caught you in time? You'd have cracked your head open."

"But I know you'll catch me," the boy argued.

"That's not the point. You can't do that again, Ethan. Things go - "

Haymitch broke off when he saw Detective Orion emerged from a black car, heading straight towards them.

"Miss Trinket, Mr Abernathy," the detective greeted.

"Orion," Effie shook his hand. "This is a surprise. What are you… Is there anything we can help you with?"

"We searched the house for the two boys," Orion said as his eyes swept over the twins and the statement sound so illogical to Haymitch and Effie. "We thought they might be at the house, hiding, but they're lucky they're with you instead."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Haymitch frowned, not understanding a word he was saying. "What are you talking 'bout?"

"You should know that we've arrested Elias Lewis. He's in custody. Thanks to the leak in the papers, he was alerted to the investigation and when he tried to bribe the officer at the land title's office from talking to any of us, we have been tailing him in the hopes of gathering more evidence. Today, he went over to his brother's house and confronted him. The arrest was made at Felix's house. We're slapping a more serious charge against him. We're charging him with attempted murder."

"Attempted … Felix," Haymitch exchanged a startled glance with Effie. "Is Felix okay?"

"Felix was shot. He's at the hospital right now. His condition didn't look good when the ambulance arrive."

XxX

Effie tapped her fingers anxiously against her knee, willing the driver to drive faster. As always, when she was in a rush to get somewhere, every traffic lights they came across turned red.

It was at one of those traffic junctions that Effie turned towards Haymitch, saying, "We should call Johanna. She would want to know."

"Yeah, but not now," Haymitch told her gently. "She's with Annie and Finn, let her enjoy her time there. We don't know how bad his situation is. We should try to find out somethin' concrete before we tell her."

"He could die, Haymitch. He was gunned down."

"He's not going to die."

When the taxi finally stopped at the emergency department of the hospital, the sight of it made Tristan stopped in his track. Haymitch tugged on his hand, urging him to move but Tristan remained rooted where he was.

"I'm not sick."

"I know you're not, peanut, but your Uncle Felix is so we gotta go see him, make sure he's okay. Alright?"

"No, I don't want to," he pouted, looking helplessly back at the taxi. "Can we go home?"

"Tristan – "

"I'll talk to him," Effie laid a gentle touch on Haymitch's hand. She knelt in front of her son so that they were on eye level. "When you were sick, Uncle Felix came to see you. Do you remember how happy you were when he visited?" Effie spoke softly to her son. "Don't you want to make Uncle Felix better?"

"But – "

"Come here, baby," Effie opened her arms and Tristan didn't hesitate to step into his mother's embrace. He locked his arms around Effie's neck and buried his face on her shoulder. Effie brushed his hair comfortingly as she carried him up with her. "It's gonna be okay. Hospitals are not scary, you'll see. Dada and I are gonna be right here with you."

"You won't leave me?"

"No, we won't. I promise. You don't have to stay here this time. Just for a visit, okay?"

Felix was still in surgery. The family of four found a spot at the waiting area and settled down to wait. Haymitch and Effie were pensive but mindful to hide their worry from their children. Tristan was quite, preferring to keep close to his parents by snuggling up to them in turn. Ethan, on the other hand, was unfazed by it all. Under Effie's strict instructions, he kept his voice down and sat quietly on a chair next to Haymitch with his legs swinging in a rhythm of its own. In his lap was a colouring book the nurses had provided him but at the moment, it laid forgotten when an old lady took a seat next to him. He smiled at her.

"How old are you, my darling?" the lady returned his smile.

"Five. I'm gonna be six really soon."

"Five? That's a big number, isn't it?"

Ethan nodded, looking proud. Tristan watched the interaction intently with marked curiousity.

"My brother – he's that one - is five, too. We have the same birthday!"

"That's marvellous! I have a brother too, as old as I am, but we don't share the same birthday, unfortunately. You are a very lucky boy to be able to share something special with someone," she patted his hand. She looked at Effie. "You have a beautiful family."

"Thank you."

Just then, one of the double doors to an operating theatre swung open. Every head in the room turned towards the doctor walking out. She walked towards the old lady which made Haymitch slumped in his seat when he realised the doctor had no news on Felix.

"Your son's stable," the doctor informed her. "Would you come with me?"

As the lady stood up, balancing on her walking stick, Ethan waved enthusiastically. "Bye!"

They were the only family left in the waiting room. It wasn't long before Effie nodded off with Tristan on her lap. The sight of the two of them sleeping made Haymitch's lips curled upwards into a smile. Haymitch lifted his arm and brought it around Effie to settle her more comfortably against him, her head resting snugly on his shoulder.

XxX

Effie woke up to the sound of voices talking in low whispers. When she opened her eyes, she saw Haymitch talking to Troy and Ella.

"Hello," Effie nodded at them before turning to Haymitch. "Is Felix out yet?"

"Not yet," Haymitch shook his head. "I would have woken you up otherwise. There's no word from any of the doctors. The nurses did say it could be a few more hours… complications or somethin'. They didn't really say."

"It sounds really serious, Haymitch. Do you… Do you really think he's going to be okay?"

Haymitch did not give her an answer. He did not know the extent of Felix's injuries to promise that he would be okay but he needed him to make it. Felix was family and he wasn't prepared to lose any more of them.

"Troy and Ella said they have some good news," Haymitch told her instead, rubbing his thumb against her knuckles in a comforting gesture. "It's waitin' for us at the Family and Social Services Department. You want to go?"

Effie blinked away the haze of sleep. She glanced at the clock and noted that she had only been asleep for half an hour.

"Sweetheart, you heard what I said, yeah? Do you wanna go?"

She tilted her head and when it finally sank, she broke into a smile. "Oh! Did we get custody? Did we? Is it official?"

Troy laughed. "Why don't you go? We'll stay here. We've gotten to know Felix quite well and when he comes out from surgery, we'll be here. You've waited for this moment for months now, so go. Felix will understand, I'm certain of it."

"Tell Felix – "

"We will," Ella assured her and pulled Effie into a hug. "Congratulations."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Will Felix make? Will he be there again when they get married? On the bright side, Elias has been arrested :) Leave a review!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite a long chapter and I'm excited for you to read it!

 

**Chapter 25**

They had stood outside these two buildings months ago, weeks after the law was abolished. It was quieter now, less crowded. Haymitch hoisted Tristan up, reached for Effie's hand and led his family up the steps into the Family and Justice Building.

While Haymitch was at the reception counter, talking, Ethan was bent at the waist, touching the carpeted floor curiously. He straightened up and grinned at his mother when he was reprimanded.

"It's soft," he commented before joining Effie at the sofa.

"Your children's names again, sir," the lady requested.

"Tristan and Ethan Abernathy," Haymitch answered, drumming his fingers on the surface of the counter. "Troy told us to – "

"Yes," the lady nodded, smiling. "I have it on the system. Why don't you and your son take a seat while I inform the Registrar that you are here?"

It wasn't a long wait which was something Haymitch was thankful for because Ethan tended to get listless and restless in such situation. Haymitch caught Effie's gaze over the boys' heads and she gave him a smile which he returned easily. A nervous energy swirled between them, the boys oblivious to it. Haymitch could hardly believe that this was happening, that they were very close to getting their children back. The only thing standing in his way was the wooden door separating the corridor from the Registrar's room.

"You may go in," the lady returned and pushed the door open for the family of four.

Effie stooped down and gave a hurried word of whisper to her children. "Be on your best behaviour. Mind your manners, smile politely and talk softly, okay?"

"Yes, mama," Tristan nodded, always eager to please.

Ethan grinned, never one to make promises and that was the only reaction Effie could extract from him which was not very assuring. But Haymitch knew his sons and he knew with the way Effie and him had raised them, they would behave themselves.

The woman sitting behind the oak desk was the same old woman with the same greying hair tied in a neat but that they had appeared before months ago. She recognised them as easily as they recognised her, and the smile she gave them was a pleasant one as they shook hands.

"These must be the children I've heard plenty about," she remarked, peering down her nose at Tristan and Ethan.

"Hello," Ethan beamed at the stranger.

Tristan was more wary and cautious. He turned to Effie, seeking her permission and when she nodded, he stepped forward, extending his hand to the Registrar. Where Ethan had a self-possessed charm and a laid back personality, Tristan was mellow and mindful of appearing on people's good side. Twins or not, these differences became more pronounce as the boys grow.

Haymitch and Effie took a seat while the boys retired to the side of the room, sitting side by side on an empty sofa. Tristan watched his parents carefully though he had no idea what was going on while Ethan looked around, marvelling at the peculiar trinkets in the room but never once reaching out to touch them after he had dared to earlier only to have Effie shot him a look of warning.

"I'm bored," Ethan whispered.

"Shush," Tristan frowned. "Mama and dada said it's important."

Over where the adults were talking, a series of questions and answers were being exchanged and Effie was growing agitated by the second.

"Well, how would you like to do this?"

Haymitch paused before he asked, "What do you mean? We were told that the custody of the boys belong to us again now."

"Yes, yes. That is not the issue," the Registrar smiled gently. She rifled through the files and pulled out the familiar green form Effie and Haymitch had filled up months earlier and submitted to the Registrar – the Agreed Parenting Plan. "It states here that you have both agreed on joint custody with care and control going to Miss Trinket. Would you like to make any amendments to it or should it remain as it is?"

"We'd like to have custody," Effie told her but clearly that wasn't the answer the Registrar was looking for.

"Yes, I understand and you will both have it – joint custody – but will the care and control still be with you, Miss Trinket? Will the children be living with you here in the city and will you be the one to make all day to day decisions for them?"

"They'll be living with me," Haymitch jumped in.

"So I'll change the care and control to Mr Abernathy and the place of residence of Tristan and Ethan Abernathy shall also change accordingly to your current – "

"No," Haymitch closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. "No, they will all be living with me in District Twelve, Effie included, so, care and control ain't necessary, is it? Or could it go to both?"

"Ah, I understand. However, there is an administrative problem, Mr. Abernathy. You are their father and Miss Trinket, their mother. These facts are on record. It is reflected in their birth certificates. The problem is that the record in the system also reflects the fact that your marriage has been annulled and to date, has not been renewed. And because of this, the system requires that I indicate very clearly the party who will have care and control – usually care and control goes to one parent - because for all intents and purpose, you are separated. The system does not care if you're on amicable terms and have worked things out. They need a clear indication. They will not let me proceed to grant an approval otherwise. If you could just give me a name, either you or Miss Trinket, then I shall key that in. All four of you may decide to live together but I still need an answer for the system."

"Excuse me for a minute," Effie said and turned to Haymitch, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I understand what she's trying to say. We just need to give a name. It wouldn't matter, would it, if it's your name or mine?"

"It'll be official – black and white," Haymitch murmured. "Whoever have care and control has more power over the other."

Effie blinked, surprised. "Haymitch, I don't – "

"What difference does it make," he muttered to himself, "now or later."

"What are you talking about?"

Haymitch raised his head and addressed the Registrar, pushing his chair back and standing up. "I'm terribly sorry for this inconvenience but if you could let us have half an hour? We'll return within that time. Will that be okay for you?"

The Registrar let out a breath and closed her file. "Very well," she acquiesced. "When you're ready, just inform Nila out front and she will let me know."

"Thanks," Haymitch said hurriedly. His fingers closed around Effie's elbow and tugged her up. "Come on, sweetheart. Boys," he called out, and they hurried after him.

Once outside the room, at the corridor, Effie pulled her hand free. "What are you doing, Haymitch? We could have settled the custody right there. Why do you need half an hour?"

"Sweetheart, I have a – "

"You're afraid if I have care and control, I can take the children and leave you at any time and they'lll stay with me while you'll only have visitation rights?" she questioned him, laying it bare for him to deny or agree. "You know I won't –"

He rolled his eyes. "No, but what's the point of one of us needing care and control anyway?"

"We don't but the system – "

"I know what the system need," he snapped.

"Dada," Tristan tugged on Haymitch's pants. "Are you and mama fighting?"

"No, no," Effie denied quickly. "We're just discussing something."

"Is it about me and Ethan?"

"Yeah, peanut, it's about you and your brother, and it's very important that I get something done."

"Get what done?" Effie frowned. "If you want to get custody done, then it's through that door. We should go back inside."

"Trust me," he told her earnestly. "Just trust me, okay?"

XxX

With her small hands in his and with the children in tow, he led them out of the Family and Justice Building, a single destination in mind.

"Haymitch."

He looked at her with a rare glint and an air of excitement about him. "Trust me."

They walked the short distance. As Haymitch steered them towards the steps leading up to the adjacent building, he glanced briefly behind his shoulder to see the look of complete confusion on Effie's face. Her eyes darted from the marble slab stating "Registry of Marriages" to the front entrance before settling on him.

Still, undeterred, Haymitch ushered them all forward through the main entrance, down a corridor and then another.

"Haymitch, stop!"

"We're nearly there," he insisted.

Haymitch paused briefly at an intersection. To the left was where they had been previously to sign their Dissolution of Marriage Certificate. He took a right turn, reading the signs and the directions as they went, navigating the hallways until finally, they came to a stop. There were a few people waiting around, couples mostly, and Haymitch found them a quiet spot because Effie, no doubt, would demand some answers. The boys stayed closed to their parents, waiting.

"Haymitch…" Effie pulled on his hand, looking up at him curiously. "What's going on? Why are we here?"

"Effie," he exhaled. His grey eyes were warm and gentle as he gazed down at her. "I told you I'm going to marry you. I know this is kind of abrupt but," he gave a nonchalant shrug, "seems like a good time as any."

She stared at him, rude as it was. She stared and he watched as her eyes widened in surprised, the pupils dilating. "Now?"

"Yes."

" _Now?"_ she hissed. "You want to marry me now?"

"You said you'll marry me," his brows creased a little, his tone slightly defensive. Had he done something wrong?

"Yes, I did, but not dressed like this," she gestured, her hand movements were wild and erratic.

The panic was beginning to settle in, he could tell. She was not prepared and he didn't blame her for that, though he didn't see anything wrong with what she was wearing. Effie had picked out a turquoise coloured knee length dress with capped sleeves that morning before they left the house to bring the children to the playground. The dress itself was embroidered with designs and the curves hugged her perfectly. A simple silver necklace hung from her neck.

"I don't see the problem," he told her rather truthfully. "You're beautiful."

That startled her slightly. "You could have told me."

"I didn't think it mattered when we get married as long as we do," Haymitch sighed. He broke his gaze and it shifted to the safest spot – his sons. "I didn't plan on marrying you today when I woke up this morning, but why not, sweetheart? I only had that thought back in the Registrar's room. She said something 'bout us not being together on their system. It'll be easier for us where the custody is concern. It'll show that we're married and they'll award us the custody, plain and simple, without you or me havin' to settle visitation hours or care and control."

"If this is about the custody then – "

"It is and it's not. _I_ want to marry you," he cupped her cheek. "Don't ask me if I'm sure 'cause I am."

Ethan stomped his foot angrily, having picked up the words and what it meant. "You can't! You didn't buy mama a tiara yet. We gotta go get a tiara first."

She found great amusement at the anger in Ethan's expression.

Effie's laughter trickled through the tense atmosphere and Haymitch relaxed a little. She stepped closer to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. Haymitch returned her embrace, holding her close to him.

"This is just a formality anyway, something legal," his breath blew wisp of her hair as he spoke. "The real wedding – the toasting – we'll do it back in Twelve, just as I said we would."

"The toasting is the one the matters the most, isn't it?" she asked to be completely certain.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Listen, sweetheart, I don't want you to do something you don't want to. If you don't want to do this today then that's fine. We can come back or we can sign the papers when we're all back in Twelve. Whenever you're ready, whenever you think is right."

"Haymitch Abernathy," she pulled back slightly, an indulgent smile gracing her lips. "You are a changed man, indeed. I never thought you were this thoughtful and considerate, so mindful about my feelings."

"Careful," he warned. "Just cause I love – "

Effie silenced him with a kiss, a quick peck on his lips but it was enough of a distraction.

"I've been ready for a very long time, you silly man. How could you not get that? This was a little surprising, yes, but you've never been one to respect my schedule, anyway. Now take me inside and marry me."

XxX

It turned out, Effie might be agreeable to it but Ethan wouldn't allow it so Haymitch was stuck outside of the room.

Ethan threw a fit in the middle of the hallway, lying on the floor with his arms wide open and refusing to move unless Haymitch get a tiara or a crown.

"I can't believe this shit," he grumbled, his patience tethering on a frayed nerve.

"Language."

"I won't move, dada. I won't! I won't. I want a tiara for mama."

"I didn't mean it literally," Haymitch frowned, mentally counting to ten before he lost his temper with his son. "Look around you tiger, nobody's got a tiara! You don't need a tiara to get married."

"I think I need a tiara, don't I, baby?" Effie whispered to Tristan sitting quietly on her lap as he watched his brother's drama unfold. "If your father's gonna make me _the_ Queen, he might as well do it right. A pretty glittering diadem on my head, with a stone jewel carved on it. Just like the stories I told you and Ethan, yes? I'm not even dressed proper, the horror! Turquoise is hardly an appropriate colour to get married in but your father, my darling, was never very good with fashion."

"You're not helping, sweetheart," he glared at her.

Her eyes sparkled with mirth and he sighed, knowing she was enjoying this more than she let on. They were the only ones left, the others having already completed their business. If there were other people to witness this, Effie would have been stricter with her son.

"Ethan, get up, right now!" Haymitch told him sternly.

"No! You said…" he glared at his father. "You said… a tiara! You said so. You lied to me. You can't lie – it's really, really, _really_ bad, dada!"

"Felix has rubbed off his melodrama to him," Haymitch pinched the bridge of his nose. "Listen, tiger, I'm gonna take your mother and your brother inside that room. I'm gonna marry her, okay? If you don't get up by the time I'm done counting to five, then you're stayin' right here which means you don't get to see it, you understand."

"Don't threaten my baby, Haymitch."

Ethan blinked and pushed himself into a sitting position, his brain registering what Haymitch was telling him.

"That's right. Your brother's going to be able to witness it, see it for himself. Don't you want to see your mama and I get married?" Haymitch tried. Ethan tilted his head, considering. "Now are you done throwing a tantrum?"

"No," he shook his head and relocated himself right in front of the door where he lay sprawled on the floor. "I won't let you marry mama. I don't like it."

Haymitch rubbed his temples in frustration. Effie laughed, burying her face in the crook of Tristan's neck. He grinned crookedly at his father.

"Ethan's being naughty," Tristan commented.

"Well, since no one gave you the usual speech when you married me the first time, I supposed that's your son's way of saying if you hurt me, you will have to answer to him. He's such a sweet, protective boy. My son," she sighed contentedly.

"Stop kidding yourself. Where do I get a damn tiara? Is there a shop nearby or somethin'?"

He could scarcely believe the words coming out of his mouth. He, Haymitch Abernathy, was actually thinking of getting Effie a damn tiara just so he could marry her. Effie must have realised the oddity in itself and partly surprised that he was even considering it because she stood up, drawing a line with Ethan's tantrum.

Haymitch seriously hope the boy would outgrow it. He couldn't throw a tantrum each time he wanted things to go his way, although, whenever he did have one, neither Haymitch nor Effie actually gave in to his demands. Still, he was learning it a little too slowly for Haymitch's liking.

"Ethan," Effie knelt in front of him. "I don't need a tiara, darling, not all queens wear a tiara. I don't think so. Let's not put your father into a state, shall we?"

"But – You'll look prettier," he pointed out.

She smiled. "How about this… I don't wear a tiara for this one but at the toasting, that's another wedding we'll have at home, I'll make sure your father buys me one, okay? There'll be people there – your Aunt Katniss and Uncle Peeta, Prim will be there too, Aunt Annie and Finn, Aunt Johanna… more people to see me look pretty. May I please get married now, darling?"

Haymitch rolled his eyes.

"Uncle Felix?"

"Uncle Felix, too, when he wakes up and leaves the hospital," Effie agreed.

Haymitch paused, wondering for a brief moment if Felix's condition had changed since they left the hospital. He made a note to himself to call the hospital once this was done and before they return to the Family and Justice Building.

"Okay," Ethan nodded and stood up.

There was a collective sigh of relief from Effie and Haymitch.

"Thank you," Haymitch muttered, "never thought it was going to be _that_ difficult to marry you."

Trying to placate Ethan and talk sense into him took a far longer time than marrying Effie, he realised.

Once they were inside the room, and the children were quietly settled, Haymitch and Effie filled up the forms. They were asked, "Are you renewing your marriage or is this – "

"Not renewing besides it's been months in between the annulment," Haymitch answered. "I'm marrying her. It's a fresh start."

Effie smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

They filed the Notice of Marriage and waited for the marriage certificate to be produced before they both signed at the bottom of it, Effie first followed by Haymitch.

It felt almost anti-climactic how fast it was over.

 _Almost_ , if not for the fact that Effie stepped in front of him, framed his face and kissed him soundly on the mouth in front of the Registrar and their two sons. He forgot to breathe as her scent enveloped him. He forgot to think as his arms automatically wound themselves around her waist, kissing her back and nearly lifting her off the floor. The feel of her soft lips made his spine tingled and he forgot to feel embarrassed by the disgusted sounds Ethan was making at the back.

Effie was his wife, again. He was hers for always.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, they're married! Somewhat. There's still the toasting... and Felix, poor Felix. I had such a marvelous time writing this chapter, I enjoy it immensely so I hope you do too! Let me know what you thought of this and drop a review :)


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Effie stared at the mirror, watching the rivulets of water paving its way down the planes of her face. So much had happened within the space of one day and she felt giddy, breathless as she tried to process it all.

Felix was shot. Elias was apprehended. Haymitch had married her _again;_ she was someone's wife _again_ , and her children belonged to her once more.

Effie gripped the edges of the sink, her knuckles turning white until Haymitch knocked on the bathroom door.

"Are you done in there?"

"Just a second," she answered.

Haymitch had gotten the twins ready for bed; cleaned and changed into their night clothes. Except, instead of being in their room they were on her bed, sitting snugly under the covers. Effie glanced at Haymitch questioningly.

"They wanted to sleep with us," he shrugged. "I thought, why not?"

The bed in Effie's apartment was smaller than the one in Twelve so with the four of them occupying it, it was a tight fit. They made do, pressing close against each other.

"G'night, mama," Tristan whispered, snuggling up to her and pressing his face on her bosom.

"Goodnight, baby," she kissed his forehead and then his brother. It was a while before Effie whispered in the dark, "Haymitch, are you alright?"

"I might fall off the bed," he replied. He was indeed sleeping close to the edge to give his sons more room in the middle. "Go to sleep, sweetheart."

"I love you," Effie told him quietly.

XxX

The next day brought with it the ire of Johanna Mason.

Johanna marched through the hospital corridors, sending nurses scurrying away at the look on her face and slammed the door open, pinning Haymitch and then Effie with a cold stare. Effie grimaced before pulling Tristan protectively in front of her, using her son as a shield since Johanna would not even think of doing anything to her with a child close by.

"It's him," Effie said calmly, nodding her head at Haymitch. " _He's_ the one who didn't want to call you."

"Oh, that's nice, sweetheart," Haymitch glared at her. "It's comforting to know my own wife will sell me out like that."

The sight of Felix pale and motionless on the bed was enough of a distraction that Johanna completely missed out on what Haymitch just said. She approached the bed, staring down at Felix with a scowl as if he had personally offended her by being unconscious.

"He's not going to die or anything like that, is he?" she asked bluntly.

Effie blanched.

"He's gonna make it," Haymitch told her. "The surgery went well – took hours but it went well. They extracted the bullet fragments from his chest. We're waiting for him to wake up. He's gonna be okay, Jo."

"You're both assholes," Johanna muttered now that she knew Felix was out of danger, and dropped on to a chair next to Haymitch.

"Bad language! Mama, Aunt Jo said somethin' foul," Tristan shrieked and extended his hand palm upwards towards Johanna who grumbled under her breath but placed a coin on his hand and slipped another in Ethan's pocket.

"You're teaching your sons how to swindle me off my money at a very young age," she snapped at Effie.

"The use of such language is unwarranted. Perhaps now, both you and Haymitch would learn to filter your words. Felix, too. Now, when did you get here?"

"Just," Johanna answered. "I spent the night on the train. Guess how I found out?"

Haymitch leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, waiting for Johanna to give an answer.

"The newspaper," she glared. "His brother got arrested for trying to _kill_ him, and I can't even fucking rely on you two," she hissed, "to tell me that he had been gunned down."

Effie gestured with her hand and Tristan's face lighted up as he collected another coin from Johanna.

"He didn't even hear the word!"

"It doesn't matter," Effie shook her head. "As long as you use it in their presence, you pay them."

"Fine, so what's your excuse for not telling me?"

"You were spending the weekend with Finn and Annie," Haymitch answered.

"I'd still like to know, Haymitch. Why is it you think that it's up to you to decide what people should know and what they shouldn't?"

"How is Finn?" Effie asked, neatly changing the subject. "And Annie..?"

"They're both doing great. Finn wants the boys to visit Four; said he misses them. Never been to the beach, have they? You've been to the beach before, Ethan?"

"Nope!" Ethan shook his head. "Do they sell a tiara at the beach, Aunt Jo?"

"A what?"

"Ethan, not now," Effie waved her son away. "Didn't you father said he'll get you one? If he said he will, it means he will, darling."

"Okay," he mumbled, climbing on the chair and settling himself comfortably on Johanna's lap.

Effie smiled at the sight of Johanna with her arms wrapped around Ethan, her nose buried in his thick, mess of curls while she watched Felix's heart monitor beeped consistently.

"When will Uncle Felix wake up, dada?" Tristan asked.

"I don't know, peanut."

"Maybe if you tell him that corduroy pants are back in style, he'll wake up from his coma just to put a stop to it," Johanna snickered.

Effie couldn't help but laugh at that, remembering Felix's tirade against corduroy pants two weeks ago.

"Did you know mama and dada got married?" Ethan craned his neck to look at Johanna. "I told dada he can't because he didn't get mama a tiara but dada made mama marry him anyway."

"What?" Johanna's head snapped up. "What? You got married?"

Effie smiled sheepishly. "Yes, we did, yesterday."

"This is not a joke?" she pressed further. "How did this …. I didn't know you had plans to get hitched."

"Was I supposed to make an announcement?" Haymitch asked.

"You married Effie?" Johanna scrunched her face, and then she turned to Effie, "and you married him?"

"Yes," Effie nodded. "We signed the papers at the Registry."

"You're not fucking with her, are you?" Johanna demanded from Haymitch, already taking out two pieces of coin for the boys. "Cause if you are…"

"That's very sweet of you, Johanna," Effie beamed and Haymitch rolled his eyes.

Johanna seized them up and then she shrugged. "Whatever. I know Effie has a thing for you – "

"It's not a thing. I do love him."

"- and I know you're gonna do right by her," Johanna went out. "I can't believe you got married without telling any of us. When he wakes up," she jerked her head at Felix, "he's gonna have a fit."

"He better wakes up for the toasting then," Haymitch grumbled.

It was another two days before Felix stirred, finally waking up. Effie and Johanna were next to him in seconds, watching him carefully and calling his name.

"Felix," Effie said softly. "Felix…"

"Hey," Johanna snapped her fingers in front of his face. "You there? You okay?"

He drifted in and out of consciousness but with each day, he spent longer hours awake. When Haymitch told him that the children's custody had been settled and the boys were back with them, he smiled, offering them a weak congratulation.

"I'm going to tell him you're both married," Johanna whispered out of the corner of her mouth on the third day after Felix woke up.

"Don't tell him yet," Effie hissed. The nurses had drawn the curtains and were running some tests on him. "We're not supposed to stress him out."

"I'm going to tell him."

"Stop it, Johanna!"

"I am in pain," Felix wailed suddenly, a hand on his chest, forcing their attention back on him. "I'll feel better away from this wretched place. Take me away!"

"Grow a pair," Johanna snapped. She had been subjected to Felix's whining for days since he was coherent. "I wish your brother had shot your habit of being melodramatic but no such luck."

"Have you no sympathy for me?" Felix hissed. "I am a patient here. I am ill. Get me a nurse. The hot one, if you can. The one with the beard, I do like him. Maybe he'll feed me my lunch."

Johanna rolled her eyes. "You can feed yourself. It's not like your brother cut off your hand or anything."

"Effie, Effie," Felix turned his attention to her, grabbing her hand. "I will stay with you in District Twelve. I can't be alone and helpless."

"Okay, Felix," Effie nodded. "You'll stay with us in District Twelve until you're well enough. I won't leave you alone. Please, will you take your medicine?"

"Is he always like this?" Haymitch asked.

"Yes," Effie nodded. "Whenever he was sick as a child, he was pampered, most of the time."

XxX

With Felix awake and regaining strength, they were getting ready to return home to District Twelve. All they were waiting for was for Felix to be discharged, which could be any day this week. Tristan and Ethan were thrilled and spoke to Prim each day on the phone.

Perhaps it was the excitement but the boys were getting rowdier by the day, always finding things to argue about only to be caught laughing and playing with each other in the next minute.

Tonight was no exception.

"Mama, he pushed me!"

"Ethan, please," Effie sighed, folding their clothes into a luggage. "Take turns. Don't push your brother."

"I got here first!" Ethan retorted.

"But I was born first! I should get to go first. I wanna brush my teeth first, Ethan, go away!"

In their bedroom, Haymitch who was carefully collating all the important documents – marriage certificate, birth certificates and custody documents – into a bag, paused to listen to the commotion.

It was another half an hour of jostling and arguing before the room next door fell silent. He stepped out to see their bedroom door slightly ajar with the lights turned off though he could still hear their hush whispers, talking to each other.

Effie walked towards him, smiling tiredly. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest, sighing.

"They're a handful but I wouldn't have it any other way," she told him.

"I know."

"I can't wait to go home, Haymitch. We've been here for too long."

Haymitch squeezed her shoulder gently. "Want a drink? I think we both earned it."

He poured wine for them both and settled down on the sofa, pressed against each other, sipping from their glass.

"I've been thinking about what Johanna said…" Effie broached the subject, tilting her head back to look at him. "About bringing the boys to District Four… Wouldn't it be fun? We could ask Katniss, Peeta and Prim. All of us together in Four…What do you think?"

"I thought you missed home. You haven't even got home and you're talking 'bout going away," he teased.

"It's just… We've never brought the children anywhere except here to the City during your appeals and that one time to Two when Johanna was …" she trailed off, not wanting to talk about the time she had relapsed and left her family in another district.

"Let's take it one step at a time, alright?"

"I'd like to meet Ari, too," she said wistfully. "She just turned two - Johanna told me."

"We'll see," Haymitch told her.

All further talks about District Four was forgotten when he kissed her. At some point, Haymitch plucked the glass out of her hand and settled it on the floor, as he nuzzled and kissed, and touched her till she trembled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're coming home, they're coming home! Reviews are much appreciated!


	27. Chapter 27

** Chapter 27 **

"Haymitch," Effie called, drawing his attention away from his sons. She beckoned him over and clasped his hand. "I've got something to show you."

Effie was grinning. She tugged his hand and he followed her into their room. On the bed was the very thing Ethan had been looking for. The tiara gleamed silver and blue under the light. There were small blue gems embedded in it.

Haymitch turned to her questioningly.

"I was cleaning and sorting through the things I could bring back home with me to Twelve when I found that," she explained. Effie smiled but her cheeks were slightly red with embarrassment. "You will laugh at me, I am sure."

"Wouldn't be anything new," he shrugged. "I've laughed at you over a lot of things in the past."

"That's true. I won a beauty pageant when I was eighteen," she told him. I don't remember still having it, actually."

His lips twitched, slowly stretching into an amused grin. "A beauty pageant?" he chuckled. "That person must be blind."

"You don't think I'm beautiful?" she frowned, taking a step back.

That question only seemed to increase his amusement. "You were hot," Haymitch admitted. "You had too much make-up, sweetheart, but you were very hot."

"So you were ogling me!" she cried triumphantly.

"I can't help it. You talked too much and when you nagged at me, I had to distract myself, didn't I? I'm a man," he shrugged again.

"And what about now – you don't think I'm hot anymore?" she tilted her head slightly, waiting for his answer. "I know I've got stretch marks on my stomach after I've given birth and they're –"

Haymitch grabbed her chin and tilted her head up, kissing her. Her lips moved against hers as he swallowed her words. Effie sighed and melted against him.

"Now… Well, now," he pulled back slightly to look at her before pressing another kiss on the corner of her mouth, "you're beautiful. You want me to show you?"

His hand came around to unzip her dress while pushing her back towards the bed at the same time. His mouth was latched on to the side of her neck and Effie couldn't help but moan at the sensation. Her knees hit the edge of the bed and she blinked her eyes open, pushing lightly on his chest.

"Your children are right outside," she reminded him.

"We'll do it quietly," he mumbled, nipping on the base of her throat. "I want you."

"Haymitch!" she moved back. "Be sensible, please."

"We haven't done it in five days!" he retorted, running his fingers through his hair. "Come here, come here."

"So you're keeping count?" she asked, snatching the tiara from the bed to keep it in their luggage.

"Of course, I keep count. We haven't even consummate our marriage," he complained. "Sweetheart, come on …"

"Stop whining, Haymitch, it's unbecoming," she glanced over her shoulder at him with a smile. "We'll have the rest of our lives together, don't we?"

He sighed. "And you're going to promise me a lot of sex?"

"You're really a ruffian," she shook her head at him. "Don't show or tell Ethan about the tiara yet or he'll insist you marry me again right now."

"I _do_ plan on marrying you again," he pointed out. "You forgot about the – "

"The toasting, I know, I remember. I'm offended that you think I would forget something as important as that! But you wanted to do that when we're home and not here, so don't let Ethan about that tiara. Are you done packing or do you need my - "

Effie's words were drowned by the sudden shriek coming from the living room.

"Dada!"

Haymitch and Effie exchanged a look. Haymitch was the first to bolt out of the bedroom, running towards the voice with Effie hot on his heels. The sight that greeted them made them stopped in their tracks.

Ethan was sitting on top of Tristan, a wicked grin split across his face. Tristan was screaming at the top of his lungs, his face red with anger.

"What is the matter with you two?" Haymitch thundered.

The boys turned at the sound of their father's voice.

"Tristan wouldn't let me read the book. I want to read the book."

"So you think you'll just sit on top of your brother until he let you have the book?" Effie chastised him. "Get off your brother, young man. I've raised you better than this."

"You were doing something else just now," Haymitch told him off. "Why do you have to do whatever your brother's doing? He reads a book and you want to read a book. He goes off to do somethin' else and you want to do exactly that."

"I just wanna do something with him but he doesn't wanna share with me," Ethan pouted. "He's the bad one."

"I am not!"

"Don't," Effie warned, piercing Ethan with a look. "The both of you – "

"You're mean and I don't like you!" Tristan screamed, finally losing his temper.

He grabbed hold of Ethan's hair and yanked it hard. Ethan toppled to the ground but he was quick on his feet and retaliated without a thought. Ethan had always been slightly taller and bigger than Tristan so when he swung his hand and it connected with Tristan's face, there was a loud thud. Tristan burst into tears.

"Ethan!" Effie shrieked. "How could you hit your brother like that?"

"I'm sorry," Ethan mumbled.

He looked terrified when he glanced at Effie apologetically. He tried to hug his brother but Tristan, fearing another attack, ran off. He was heading straight for the front door when Haymitch reacted. He grabbed Tristan and hauled him over his shoulder.

Distance was important when they boys fought so Haymitch brought Tristan to the kitchen and sat his son on a stool. He poured the boy a glass of milk, grabbed a handful of cookies on to a plate and placed them in front of him.

Outside, he could hear Effie talking quietly to Ethan.

"You wanna talk?" Haymitch asked.

Tristan looked up miserably. There was a cut beneath his eyes and it was bleeding slightly. Haymitch sighed, taking a napkin and cleaned the wound.

"It's a small cut," he told Tristan. "You're gonna be okay."

"He's mean to me," Tristan said in a low voice.

"He's not mean to you, peanut. He just wants to do things together with you. What you did to him… That ain't something nice, too. You attacked him; you grabbed his hair so he fought back."

"But he was sitting on me and he wouldn't go away," Tristan argued.

"I know that but you can't just…" Haymitch pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're going to say sorry for hurting him, yeah?"

"Is he going to say sorry to me, too?" Tristan asked, reaching out for a cookie. His face was blotched with tears and snot.

"He's definitely going to apologise. I'll see to it."

"Dada?" he looked up uncertainly. "I really, really miss home. When we're at home, Ethan's always outside 'cause he'll wanna play with Dasher so he won't disturb me so much."

Haymitch couldn't help the chuckle that escaped from his lips.

"He's your brother, peanut. He's gonna spend his entire life annoying you and you're gonna do the same to him."

"I'm not gonna do that."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Annoying each other is what brothers do. You're gonna end up pissing him off unintentionally sometimes."

He would know that because he had gone through the same thing with Lief. He made Lief so angry when he left his baby brother behind each time he was out with his friends and Lief irritated him so much when he followed Haymitch around.

"Ethan's always gonna be there for you. You're gonna do the same for him."

"Why do I have a brother? You and mama don't have one," he frowned. "I bet it's more fun."

"No, peanut, it's not, and don't ever wish Ethan away, you understand? I don't want to hear any more of that nonsense."

Tristan frowned but Haymitch could see his son thinking. He knew even before Tristan opened his mouth that the boy would have an argument ready on his lips.

"Prim doesn't have a brother. Finn doesn't have a brother, too. Why must I have a brother?"

"Stop it, Tristan," Haymitch raised his voice slightly. "Your brother's your friend. He's gonna be your friend for life. He's family, and family stick together. You're angry with him but that'll pass."

Tristan's face was wound tight but he plucked another cookie, breaking it in half and chewing on it carefully before washing it down with milk. He didn't seem interested in talking to Haymitch anymore.

"Your mama had a sister," Haymitch heard himself say. "Her name's Eirene, and your mama loves her very much. I had a brother, too. Your Uncle Lief… He's … a cool kid. You'd like him. I'd do anything to have my brother back, peanut, _anything_."

"I've never seen Uncle Lief," Tristan said. "Or mama's sister."

When Haymitch smiled, it was sad and his grey eyes were haunted. He didn't know how to explain to a five year old the concept of death so Haymitch simply settled on, "They're not around. They haven't been around for a long time."

"Do you fight with your brother, too? Like Ethan and I?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded. "I did."

"But did you like him?"

Haymitch laughed. "'Course, I did, peanut, he's my brother."

"Are you sad that he's gone?"

Haymitch paused and then he nodded. "Yeah, yeah I am. Won't you be sad if you can never see Ethan again?"

Tristan chewed his bottom lip and Haymitch could see a little bit of Effie in him. "I think so. I'll miss him very much."

XxX

Johanna was pushing Felix on the wheelchair as the group made their way towards the train platform. Tristan and Ethan were walking behind them, holding on tightly to each other's hand as Effie had instructed them to.

"Don't lose each other. It's crowded place."

Haymitch brought up the rear, pushing a trolley filled with their luggage. For the second time that morning, he cursed Felix to hell and back. Felix had packed three suitcases for himself and they were stacked on top of his family's belonging. Johanna travelled light for which he was grateful.

"Over here," Effie navigated them all to the right carriage. She handed over the tickets for inspection and ushered the boys up on to the train. "Get in, get in. Don't wander off. Wait for me. Your father needs to put away our things."

"Get the fuck up, Felix," Johanna ordered.

Felix turned back to look at her. "You are aware that I am not well, yes?"

"Like hell you are," Johanna growled. "You can walk that two steps it takes to get on the damn train and then you can take another few steps on your own to find your damn seat. I'm not going to baby you."

With an indignant huff, he slowly rose from his wheelchair and boarded the train.

"You're very angsty, Johanna," Felix pointed out. "You need to get laid. I will find you a man."

"What's that mean, mama?" Tristan asked curiously.

Felix and Johanna bickered back and forth, and Haymitch was seriously questioning why he had not asked for a different carriage from them when he bought the tickets. Haymitch even suggested that Felix should take his pain medication which he knew would make the young man drowsy and eventually put him to sleep but Felix was against it.

"I can't believe we're finally going home," Effie rested her head on Haymitch's shoulder when the train finally left the station.

"It's a step closer to getting away from Felix," Haymitch taunted as he kissed Effie's temple.

"I'll be staying with you. There is no getting rid of me, handsome," Felix cackled. He leaned back in his seat and then his gaze turned serious. "So…. Someone told me that you two are married."

Effie turned towards Johanna.

"Told you I was gonna tell him," she smirked.

"How dare you marry a second time _without_ me, Effie?" Felix cried. "You wound me deeply. Do I matter so little that you couldn't tell me? I'm your cousin. I can't believe I was not told beforehand!"

"Nobody asked you to get shot," Haymitch told him casually. "What? You couldn't tell that your brother was going to pull a gun on you?"

"Oh, don't mock me," Felix narrowed his eyes. "How was I to know? Elias is a crazy son of a bitch."

"Coins! Children collect your coins," Effie gestured at Ethan and Tristan.

Felix grumbled loudly but paid his dues. "So what's the story? Are you going to tell me?"

"Not really," Haymitch said. "What's there to tell?"

Felix gasped, affronted. "A lot of things. I suggest you start at the beginning."

Johanna had lost interest and had chosen to engage the twins in a game which involved flicking bottle caps at a target. She was patient as she taught them and it was only with the children – the boys, Finn, Prim and Posy Hawthorne – that Johanna learnt to relax her stance.

"I asked her to marry me and – "

"He didn't ask. He _assumed_ I would marry him," Effie interjected.

"How horrid," Felix sighed dramatically. "No concept of romance at all. You only have your pretty face to rely on, Haymitch, only a pretty face."

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "So I _asked_ her to marry me, she said yes, we got married. That's it."

"Yes but how?"

"We signed the papers at the Registry of Marriages. It was a spur of the moment, surprising isn't it? Especially where _I_ am involved! We didn't plan on getting married that particular day," Effie answered and told him the entire story.

Felix listened with rapt attention and then he yawned, mocking them. "Boring. Signing the papers…? I've never heard of a more anti-climactic marriage than this."

"You're no longer invited to the toasting," Haymitch announced.

At that, Felix perked up and sat up straighter. He leaned forward slightly, suddenly more interested in what Haymitch had to say.

"Toasting? I have heard of those!" he exclaimed. "Effie told me about her toasting a few years ago. Wine and bread, and all that, yes? You have not done the toasting yet?"

"No," Effie shook her head. "We want to do it when we're back at home."

"Excellent!" Felix clapped his hands together. "Excellent. This is where I come in I supposed?"

Johanna gave a bark of laughter and exchanged a knowing look with Haymitch. "You're going to be very disappointed."

He ignored her or maybe in his excitement, he had not heard it because Felix went on, his eyes were bright and alive.

"Once we reach Twelve, I will order a bridal magazine for you. Do we have time? Have you set a date? Never mind that. I can work well with deadlines. We need to choose a beautiful white dress for you, only the best for my cousin."

"No white please," Effie said quickly. "I don't… I don't like white clothes."

The other two adults in the room said nothing. They knew the reason behind it.

"Not a problem," Felix went on, undeterred. "We'll choose from the arrays of colours. I'll call my friend for the twins' suits and for you too, of course," he looked over at Haymitch. "Oh! This is so exciting!"

"Good luck," Johanna mouthed, smirking.

"What's the invite list like? How many people will be there? What about cake? I supposed Peeta would do the cake, as usual," Felix answered his own question. "And shoes! How could I forget about the shoes! Effie, you need a beautiful pair of shoes. I have something in mind already. You're going to look so beautiful that you'll put all the other brides in Twelve to shame."

"I don't -" Effie tried to get a word in.

Haymitch had folded his arms across his chest and was watching Felix with something akin to hilarity. Someone had to tell him at some point that the toasting was going to be small and private, and he couldn't wait to see the look on Felix's face when he knew.

"What about the children? Should we go with ties or bowties? Ah, how could I forget Finn? The three of them should match. What are you going to wear Johanna? You should match with Annie. Are they your bridesmaid, Effie?"

"For fuck's sake, take a deep breathe," Johanna scowled.

"What about the groomsmen? Well, I don't want to be too forward but am I your – "

"Stop, stop," Haymitch pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the headache settling in. He might as well break it to Felix. "It's a toasting not a wedding party. Remind me to ask Peeta to give you a lesson on District Twelve's tradition."

"What's that mean?"

"It means it's going to be small, and nothing grand," Effie explained.

Felix's expression said it all. His mouth was agape; he looked at them both with a stricken expression and then complete disbelief before he laughed. "What a funny joke."

"They don't look like they're joking," Johanna pointed out with a touch of glee.

"But it's a wedding! Effie's first wedding was already -"

"I want it this way, Felix," Effie interrupted before he could say something potentially hurtful to Haymitch. "I want it to be only just family and friends. I don't want something big. This is my wish. I'm happy enough to be married to Haymitch and to have my children with me."

"I think I'll take the medicine and go to sleep now," Felix sighed dejectedly. "My expertise is no longer needed."

Felix slept until the train reached District Twelve the next day and the moment he saw Peeta, he started asking questions about the toasting. Peeta's gaze flicked over to Effie and Haymitch and then he smiled once he understood why Felix was asking all the questions.

Katniss didn't.

"You're going to tell Katniss, right?" Haymitch leaned down to whisper in Effie's ears.

" _You_ will tell her. You're always closer to her."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you feel Haymitch's sadness/anger when Tristan didn't want his brother? And can you feel Felix's crushing disappointment at this not so grand wedding party?


	28. Chapter 28

** Chapter 28 **

Ethan and Tristan disappeared the moment they reached home. They tore through the house, running up the stairs to the upper floor and Effie heard the sounds of them jumping on their beds. Effie clicked her tongue in disapprobation and took a step forward but Haymitch lay a gentle hand on her arm.

"Let them be," he told her.

It wasn't long before Ethan came down again and Haymitch opened the back door for him. He spent the morning with his geese. Tristan occupied himself playing with Prim, who had come over with large drawing papers and a box of crayons. Effie peered between the curtains to see the two children hunched over the table outside under the apple tree.

Within the first few hours that they were home, Felix had talked her ear off about the toasting, subtly complaining about it being a small ceremony. Johanna had made her escaped early on with Katniss into the woods.

By mid-afternoon, Effie was more than willing to come to a compromise. Haymitch rolled his eyes, telling her that she gave in far too easily.

So with her sons each occupied with their own individual activities, Effie spent the afternoon with Felix on the sofa. They were on their third fashion magazine and if memory served her right, Felix had packed a few of those from home. Effie found this strangely relaxing. It felt as if time had rewind itself and they were back at their grandmother's house, flipping magazines after magazines while pretending that they were the models with the couture dresses.

"I miss this," Effie curled her feet under her.

Felix flashed Effie a grin, slung his arm around her and kissed her head. "Me, too," he admitted. "Eirene always wanted us to do something else, do you remember?"

A laugh rippled out of her.

"Yes, I do! I remember it well. She had a very peculiar habit… All those cafes and restaurants she dragged us to because she wanted to try _everything_."

"Mostly for the coffee," Felix sighed, lost in memories. "The cafes are always the same – how could she not see that? I grew bored with all the lattes. She loved her lattes, didn't she?"

Effie smiled at her sister's peculiarity. They were young and untouched by the horror of the world, clueless about the sufferings beyond the Capitol. Even Elias did not have the ruthlessness he possessed now. He would be with them but he was a business student in Panem's prestigious school, and no matter where they went, he always had his book with him. He always had ideas for a business ventures. Eirene had always been the one to listen to him and talk to him about his ideas. Neither Effie nor Felix was very interested in what he had to say which explained why Effie was always closer to Felix and Eirene with Elias.

"Ah! How about this one?" Felix tapped a long finger on one of the pictures. "It's beautiful… A little simple for my taste which means it probably would be something your Haymitch would like; nothing too fancy for the toasting, yes?"

Effie leaned forward to get a better look and without hesitation, she nodded. It was an elegant dress. "Yes, yes, _that_ would do."

Felix's movements were slower, still recovering from his wound, but he went to work taking Effie's measurements. She could tell him her measurements but she let him because it gave him something to do.

"Mama!" a voice wailed.

"Tristan," Effie sighed quietly once she recognised the voice. "I wonder what it is this time."

He rounded the corner and entered the living room followed closely by Prim. He was holding his drawing paper in front of him and his eyes were red from crying.

"What is it, baby?"

"Ethan let his bird poop on my drawing!" he shoved the paper at his mother. True enough, there were bird droppings on it.

Felix jumped back, hand on his heart and then he pinched his nose. "That is absolutely disgusting!"

A second later, they heard Ethan's shriek of laughter in the hallway. He peeked inside, a cheeky grin on his face.

"Get in here," Effie ordered.

"I didn't do it," Ethan answered defensively. "Dasher did it. It wasn't me."

"But you let it!" Prim argued.

"Did not," Ethan frowned and then he turned towards Felix, pointing to the measuring tape in his hand. "What's that? Can I try?"

"Where's your father, Ethan?" Effie asked. "Why was Dasher out on the front yard?"

"Dada let the geese out 'cause Dada said Uncle Peeta doesn't know how to look after geese –"

"Daddy knows how to look after geese!" Prim stomped her foot.

"- 'cause the pens are all funny looking so he gotta fix it."

"Oh, do get rid of that nasty thing, Effie," Felix whined, gesturing at the drawing Tristan was still holding. "It's stinking up the whole house. Prim, why don't you stay? Let me measure you. We're going to find you a nice dress for the wedding."

"Come along, come along," Effie nudged them forward. She had taken the drawing from Tristan and was holding it an arm's length away.

"Don't throw it away, Mama."

"It's got bird poop on it, Tristan."

"Can't we wash it off?"

Effie tilted her head. " _We_ are not going to wash it off. Your father will. He's the one who wants to keep them as pets, after all."

Tristan broke into a grin.

"Yes," he nodded enthusiastically and then he turned towards his brother, a deep frown on his face. "Dada told me geese are food, y'know. When Dasher's all old, we're gonna _eat_ him."

"No, you're not!"

"I am," Tristan said seriously.

"Mama, make him stop," Ethan turned towards his mother.

Effie hurried out. She saw Haymitch kneeling on the ground and she let out a breath, thinking of how she would have to wash his pants and get rid of the dirt stain later.

"Haymitch Abernathy!"

Effie explained to him what happened and when she handed the drawing to him, he raised an eyebrow.

"Take care of it," she ordered. "Or I'll have Felix have a go at you. He's dying to get you a nice suit."

As it happened, Johanna returned at that moment. She peered at the drawing and wrinkled her nose.

"Is that shit?" she asked loudly. "Did you put shit on your drawing?"

Tristan's lips began to wobble and Effie grabbed Johanna's hand, dragging her inside the house before she unintentionally upset Tristan even further.

"Okay, listen," Johanna pulled her arm free. "There's gonna be three of them; Annie, Finn and Ari."

Effie's head snapped up

"Ari? How is Annie allowed to bring Ari out of Four?"

"Because the girl's mother eloped apparently – found a new lover or something and having a kid with her is just burdensome," she replied and flopped on the sofa, watching Felix fuss over Prim. "Annie told me that the new guy didn't think marriage law babies are natural. Didn't I tell you this?"

Effie's eyes widened and it flickered towards the window where both her sons were laughing at something Haymitch had said, their feud temporarily forgotten.

"What does that mean? Not natural?" Effie demanded, shrieking a little.

Johanna shrugged.

"Forced? I don't know – what do I care what some guy thinks. He's a crazy son of – " she broke off. She was aware that Prim was in the room and Effie would most likely impose the same rules. "You're lucky I ran out of coins. Anyway, the Family and Social Services appointed Annie as her legal guardian. I was surprised myself but she did raise Finn and the kid turned out well after all."

"What about the girl's father?" Felix queried. "I remember a father… An addict, right?"

"Still in rehab," Johanna answered. "Didn't ask about his daughter; not once."

"Poor child," Felix shook his head. "I'm glad she's coming, though! I must admit, I do miss her. And since we're going to have another baby girl in attendance for the toasting, may I please, please, please have Prim match with Ari?"

Effie sighed heavily. "You're asking too much, Felix. I thought we agreed on just me."

"Oh, I know! But let's not deny these two girls the chance to look even prettier than they already are. Isn't that right, Prim?"

Prim smiled at him radiantly. Effie did not have the heart to deny the girl that so she nodded grudgingly. "Very well, Felix."

"One other thing – I know Haymitch said there won't be a wedding party but have any of you considered a wedding _dinner_?" he asked casually. "It could be after the toasting! It'll be perfect. Remember when we had the dinner outside the house after we were done with the campaign for the referendum? Haymitch and Peeta set up a long table outside. We all sat around under the night sky having dinner – it was an amazing night. That was nice, wasn't it? Jo enjoyed it, too, and if she enjoyed it then you know it's good."

"Hey," Johanna frowned. "Just because you're desperate to have a party and socialize with people, don't drag my name into this. Oh, great job, Felix," Johanna groaned and waved her hand at Effie, "now she's thinking about it."

"It was nice," Effie agreed. "Perhaps… Perhaps, I could talk to Haymitch about this."

"Excellent!" Felix clapped his hand. He settled back on the sofa with Prim next to him. "Come look at these dresses, Prim! What's your favourite colour, darling?"

"You shouldn't have told him about the toasting," Johanna put her legs up on the table.

Effie slapped it away, glaring at her to put her feet down. "You know I can't do that. Felix's family and he helped us so much. When is Annie due to arrive?"

"Couple of days," Johanna shrugged. "She's got to pack and her train's only leaving tomorrow afternoon. Why? Haymitch can't wait to have the toasting?"

" _I_ can't wait to have the toasting," Effie smiled. "I think this weekend will be perfect for it."

XxX

Effie was in the kitchen washing the dishes when Haymitch walked in. He stood behind her, hand on her hip and dropped a kiss to the side of her neck.

"I miss you," he mumbled before moving away.

When she heard the stove being turned on and smelt the fire Haymitch had lighted up, she glanced behind her shoulder to see what he was doing. His back was to her so there was nothing much to see and she thought nothing of it. He probably was putting the water to boil for coffee or tea until she smelt something else.

Haymitch had moved and was standing next to her.

"Here," he tore off a piece of slightly burnt bread and placed it in front of her lips, waiting for her to take a bite.

Effie took a step back, a little confuse. She took in the sight of the bread in his hand, the flutes of wine on the kitchen counter and then to him grinning. He looked smug as if he had found a loophole to a pesky problem.

"No," she shook her head, laughing as she pushed his hand away. "No, Haymitch. You can't do this."

It made him smirk even more.

"We didn't even start a fire," Effie argued.

"I did - on the stove."

" _Together_. Don't try to fool me, Haymitch. We've done this before. I know how it goes and besides, I had to sit with Felix when Peeta gave him a crash course on Twelve's toasting."

"You know if you make me toast for breakfast and I eat them then technically -"

"Well," she raised her hands and dropped them in exasperation. "If that's the case, Peeta would have been married to me, to Johanna, to Felix and to you. How many times have we eaten his toasts?"

Haymitch blanched. "Are you gonna eat the damn bread or not, sweetheart? Eat it," he snapped and pressed the bread to her lips.

She pursed her lips together. He shrugged and bit off the bread, chewing loudly because he knew it would irritate her.

"We wait until Annie is here with the children."

"What does it matter?"

"Haymitch!" she gasped. "We stick to the plan."

"Plans are meant to be changed."

"You're only like this because Peeta accidentally told Felix that we shouldn't be sleeping together before the toasting."

Peeta had given Felix a comprehensive lesson which includes the elder generation staunch belief that the bride and groom should not see each other before the toasting which meant they were also not supposed to be sleeping together. Supposedly, it was meant to keep the excitement alive between the couples and make the wedding night even more special.

Upon learning that, Felix had insisted that they sleep separately to uphold tradition. Haymitch had argued extensively against that. He had even asserted that this was Felix exacting some sick revenge over them having a small toasting and denying him the chance to plan for an extravagant wedding party. Peeta was apologetic. Katniss was uncomfortable with them talking about the two people whom she had come to think as her own parent sleeping together. Johanna found everything hilarious and she backed Felix up because in the end, she wanted to see Haymitch squirming and restless.

In the end, they all agreed on it. Katniss included because she just wanted the discussion to be over.

"It's just a few days, Haymitch. You didn't sleep in the same bed with her when you were here and she was at Capitol," Katniss snapped.

"That's not the point," Haymitch retorted. "Sweetheart, you can't agree with this. It's fucking crazy."

"The toasting is a traditional ritual here and we should just follow it through. It'll be exciting to experience it in its entirety," Effie said, collecting the coins from Haymitch on behalf of her children.

"As a compromise," Felix had relented. "You can still see each other. We won't stop you until the day of the toasting itself. See, it's not so bad, it is?"

That first night, Haymitch had sneaked into Effie's room. In the darkness, her will to see it through wasn't as resolute as it was in the morning so Effie had pulled the covers back and curled into him.

Felix found out when he entered Effie's room to ask her about his medicine and saw them wrapped in each other's arms. The next night, when Haymitch sneaked in, he saw Johanna lying next to Effie, snoring loudly. He had cursed under his breath which woke Effie up. She cracked an eye open and saw his silhouette in the dark. She laughed quietly.

"Come on, sweetheart. Sleep with me tonight. You'll wake up earlier than Jo anyway and you can come back here, pretend you spent the entire night here," he had said.

"I heard that, Haymitch," Johanna mumbled sleepily. "Get out."

Personally, Effie didn't mind it that much because lately whenever they were in the same room, her heart raced. His kisses were more intense and left her wanting more. Once, she had even pulled Haymitch out of the house when everyone else was busy and kissed him breathless.

"Can you imagine our wedding night?" she had whispered, framing his face in her hands. "This isn't so bad, is it?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felix is slowly taking over everything, don't you think? ;) Please leave a review and let me know what you think.
> 
> The toasting will be in the next chapter!


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Three days before the toasting, in an attempt to replicate the ceremony in its true essence, Felix kicked everyone out of the Abernathy's house.

"Haymitch, you will live with Katniss and Peeta over at their house."

"You can't throw me out of my own house," Haymitch retorted.

He stood at the kitchen island with one hand propped on his hip. In the other, he held a fork which he was currently using to violently spear bits of chicken. The sharp clink of the fork against the plate made Felix wince each time and wrinkle his nose.

"Please take a seat when you're eating. A proper gentleman would do that."

"Like I said," Haymitch chewed loudly. " _My_ house, my rules. If I want to eat that chicken," he gestured at the plate with his fork, "while I'm standing then I'll do so."

"You're setting a bad example to your children," Effie said, rubbing her temple. "Sit down!"

"Look, I don't see how all of us leaving this house will make it "new" again in time for the toasting but can we just do as he says?" Johanna growled, frustrated beyond belief with the same topic of conversation that they had been circling on for hours now.

"I agree with what Jo said about trying to make this house feel new," said Haymitch. "Just 'cause we won't be living it in for three days, it doesn't make it new. It's still gonna be the same old house."

"Your imagination is severely limited," Felix huffed. "You have my utmost sympathies. Would you rather buy a new house? I think not."

"Okay," Haymitch inhaled deeply, "who died and made you king, Felix?"

Felix folded his hands in front of him, covering the notepad filled with his scribbles on all the detailed plans for the toasting.

" _I_ just want to make sure everything is perfect for Effie. She deserves – "

"Felix, please," Effie pleaded.

"- only the best, and yes, Haymitch, you are good for my cousin, I admit that. But let's not forget that the first time was less than stellar. Don't you want Effie to remember this day forever? It is an important day for you and for her. Your children will grow up remembering this day. This isn't about me taking control – don't think of it that way. This is about _Effie_."

They stared at each other. It wasn't lost on Haymitch what Felix was trying to do. It was a long while before Haymitch spoke.

"That's low but you're good," Haymitch chuckled. He turned towards Effie. "I'm only doing this for you. If it was up to me, our toasting will be a simple thing."

So the arrangement came to be that since Annie was already living in one of the empty houses in Victor's Village with Finn and Ari, Effie and Johanna would stay with them. Haymitch would live with Katniss and Peeta. Finn decided that he wanted to help Peeta with the baking so Annie let him move to Peeta's house. The twins looked up to Finn and tended to follow whatever Finn was up to, so the boys stayed with their father.

Effie occupied her time with Prim and Ari. She brushed their hair and tried on Prim's old clothes on Ari. Each time Johanna caught her with them, she would roll her eyes.

"Does Haymitch know?"

"Know what?" Effie barely glanced at Johanna, distracted as she was with the scorpion braid she was trying on Ari.

"That you want a baby girl," Johanna told her bluntly.

Effie gasped, releasing her hold on the girl's hair. The braid unravelled. "Don't be preposterous. My pregnancy with the boys was already complicated. It would be… It'd be unwise to try again and even if we try… There's no guarantee that it'll be a girl."

Johanna shrugged. "Suit yourself."

On the morning of the toasting, Annie volunteered to make breakfast but soon found Effie commandeering the kitchen in an attempt to ward off the nervous energy.

"Has Haymitch taken his breakfast?" Effie asked when the kitchen began filling up.

Peeta and Haymitch were not in attendance and she assumed that was because of the rule they had all agreed on (a rule nobody consulted she or Haymitch in the first place) that the bride and the groom were not to see each other on the day of the toasting.

Her question went unanswered and it soon became clear to her that nobody was paying her any attention. Johanna was arguing loudly with Felix across the breakfast table about his need to make alterations to her dress _again._ Ethan had climbed on to the table with the flowers he had plucked from Peeta's garden to dump them into a small vase while Tristan and Finn were eating jam straight out of the jar. Annie and Katniss were deep in conversation.

"Did anyone – " Effie inhaled deeply.

"Your dress looks like it came from the last century!" Felix retorted.

"Fine," Johanna snapped. "Maybe I'll just attend the toasting naked!"

"Me, too!" Ethan grinned.

Effie slammed the pan loudly on the stove. Annie jumped. Katniss stared at her. The others fell silent.

" _Nobody_ will attend _my_ toasting naked. Now, I'm going to ask again, has Haymitch taken his breakfast?"

"He was still sleeping when I left my house," Katniss answered.

"Sleeping? But he needs to get ready! I've gone through the schedule with him the day before," Effie cried in dismay. The note of hysteria on her voice was not lost on anyone. "There are a lot of things to do before the toasting and he _cannot_ still be sleeping! I need to see him. I'll wake him up and make sure -"

"No!" there was a collective objection. "Not on the day of the toasting. We all agreed."

"I got it," Peeta announced cheerily as he entered the kitchen. He caught the empty plate that Johanna sent flying in his direction and began loading food on it. "The cake is turning out beautifully, Effie," he told her. "I've been up since six this morning getting it ready. I'm going to wake Haymitch up soon. We might be about half an hour behind your schedule but we'll be okay. We'll catch up with your schedule in no time. Now, who's coming with me to have breakfast with Uncle Haymitch?"

"Felix is going," Johanna volunteered him, pushing him out of his chair. "Take him with you."

"You boys go too," Annie ushered the twins. "Remind your dada that your mother wants him to eat."

"Bye, Mama!" Tristan waved his sticky fingers at her.

"Bye, baby," Effie raised her hand to wave, "say hello to dada for me."

XxX

Finn pressed his face on the window of Peeta's house. Seconds later, so did Ethan. Seeing them, Ari took off in a run with the full intention of joining the boys.

"Ari!" Felix reacted, grabbing hold of her hand. "Ari, darling, no, no, you stay right here with Prim. There's no need to be running around. You'll be perspiring and you'll ruin your whole look."

Felix gave Prim strict instructions to hold tight to Ari's hand. Prim nodded, taking the task seriously. Katniss seemed bemused by her daughter's antics. Annie stood close to Effie and when Effie glanced at her nervously, she squeezed Effie's hand.

"They're late."

"We're early," replied Annie.

"Katniss, did you remember to tell Peeta that Haymitch's shirt is – "

"The blue one," Katniss finished. "Yes."

"And did you tell him to – "

"to tell Haymitch to shave? Yes, I did," Katniss said, exasperated. She threw a look over Effie's shoulder at Johanna.

"Okay," Effie breathed out. "Okay."

Effie was quiet for all but two minutes before she found something else to fret over. "Oh, I wished you had let me dress the boys! Now I don't know if they look – "

"For fuck's sake!" Johanna snapped. "Felix got it under control. Relax already. You know if Felix's in-charge of making sure everyone's dressed as they're supposed to then it's going to be fine."

The small group stood outside the gates of the Abernathy's house, waiting. Moments later, across from them, the door to Peeta's house swung open. Tristan and Ethan emerged and when they saw Effie, they giggled and exchanged a glance before retreating back to the house.

"I saw mama and she looks pretty," the group heard one of the boys reported. "And she's wearing a tiara, too!"

Peeta descended down the front porch, calling out to Felix. "You messed up Felix. _We_ 're supposed to be waiting for Effie, not the other way round."

"Oh, never mind that," Felix waved him off, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he might have miscalculated the time. "Is Haymitch ready?"

"Right here," a gruff voice said.

Haymitch was standing with Tristan and Ethan on each side of him, staring at Effie. He licked his lips as his eyes roamed over her and Effie threw Felix a triumphant look.

Effie was wearing an elegant dress with pale blue silk lining that flared out on her knees. The dress had a boat neckline, silver embroidery that gave the dress a shiny, metallic look and a three quarter sheer sleeves ending at her elbows. Her jewelleries were kept to a bare minimum; the bracelet that once belonged to Haymitch's mother, the wedding band they had exchanged more than five years ago and pearl earrings. Effie taught the tiara was too much but she put it on for Ethan's sake.

Haymitch stepped forward.

"Do you like my dress?"

"Are you fishing for a compliment?" he growled.

"It'll be nice if I didn't have to."

Haymitch rested his hand on the small of her back and that was when he realised that like her sleeves, the back of her dress was not covered with lining and it showed off her skin.

"It's not true what Felix said," he mumbled quietly under his breath.

"What was that?"

"My imagination ain't that limited, you sent it running with that dress you're wearing."

"Okay," Felix clapped his hands excitedly. He stood in front of the pair and faced them towards their house. "You're to walk straight ahead and then cross the threshold of your _new_ house _together_!"

Haymitch rolled his eyes.

"Ready?" he asked.

"More than ready," Effie smiled.

He reached for her hand and gave Ethan a nod. The boy ran forward and pushed open the gates for his parents. Haymitch led Effie down the path towards their front door. He wasn't a sentimental man by nature but as they walked through the front yard, Haymitch took in the sight and he noted the vast different his house was now compared to six years ago, and that was just the exterior of his house.

His gaze fell on the garden swing he had bought for her and he remembered the countless therapy sessions Effie had on that swing. The boys' swing set still stand firm though they played on it less and less as they grew older but now that Ari was here, she spent most of her time playing on it. Effie's apple tree was difficult to miss. She had planted it just mere months after they were married the first time and the tree grew as Haymitch and Effie grew together.

At the first step of their front porch, Haymitch inhaled deeply. This was his place. The spot he went to when he needed a drink away from Effie while she was pregnant. This was where he brood, this was where he spent his time thinking but this was also where Effie would sometimes sit with him quietly and gave him many second chances. The woman whose hand he was holding tightly in his was his greatest ally and he knew he would never regret marrying her. He was ready to spend the rest of his life with her by his side.

"I love you," he whispered.

He heard her sharp intake of breath and a part of him expected her to tease him about the fact that they had not even toasted yet for him to make such declaration but when he met her eyes, he couldn't find any hint of amusement in it. Her blue eyes sparkled bright and it overwhelmed him the fact that _he_ made her happy.

"Is it my turn, dada?" Tristan asked.

Haymitch pulled his gaze away. "Yeah, go ahead, peanut."

Tristan turned the knob and opened the front door. The light spilled on to the hallway, guiding them inside. Felix broke into a loud applause as did the rest of the children. Johanna whistled.

"Nearly there, old man," he heard Katniss said.

Things didn't always run so smoothly even if it was Felix who had planned it out with Effie giving her input once in a while. He had delegated the task of placing a matchbox on the coffee table to Johanna who had clearly forgotten to do it so there was a rush as someone dashed to the kitchen for a box of matches.

"Go on then," Felix grinned, "build your first fire together."

"We've built a fire – "

"Just light it up," Felix cut him off before he could be corrected.

Effie lighted up the match and held it out to the tinder Haymitch held. He tossed it in the fireplace and they watched as the flames rose. Finn and Prim stepped forward, each holding a silver tray with bread on it. Haymitch and Effie took a piece each from the tray.

"Very formal, Felix," Haymitch teased him.

"In the Capitol we have a ring bearers, I thought we could improvise with bread bearers," he said proudly.

"Now, you're just mocking out tradition," Peeta said.

Felix looked scandalised. "That was not my intention. I merely thought – "

"I was just joking," Peeta laughed.

They skewered the bread and held it over the burning flame. The smell of the bread toasting in the fire wafted over the living room and then they could hear Ethan's stomach grumbling in the quiet room.

Effie's head snapped towards her son, an amused expression sitting on her face.

"I'm sorry, mama," he said. "It's noisy 'cause it's hungry. Can you quickly toast the bread so I can eat it?"

"It's not for you," Annie whispered to him. "We'll find you something else to eat later, okay?"

Haymitch kept an eye on their bread. Slowly, he raised his hand and guided Effie's hand away from the flames.

"Any longer and it'll burn," he told her. He took the bread from the end of his stick and blew on it gently. When he turned to face her and held a piece of bread in front of her mouth, he was grinning. "Finally," he said. "This time you're gonna eat it, yeah?"

"Depends if you're going to feed me or if you're just going to remain there smiling like a cat that got its cream," she replied.

Haymitch pressed the warm bread on her lips and she parted her mouth to take a bite from it. When she had swallowed, Haymitch tilted her face up and pressed a kiss to her lips. "Wife," he smirked.

"Can't say the same about you," she laughed.

Just as he had, Effie tore off a small piece and held it out for him but before he could take a bite from it, she rested her hand on his cheek. The way she looked at him and the way she smiled at him made his breath caught in his throat.

"You're about to make a speech," he accused.

Her smile only grew wider. "Not a speech, no - a vow."

"I didn't prepare one for you."

"I didn't expect you to and I didn't plan on one until right at this very moment," she admitted.

She raised her hand again and Haymitch took a bite of the bread.

"From the day I knew you years and years ago," Effie's voice filled the room, "there had been moments in our lives when you questioned yourself and doubted yourself but the ones that made me upset would always be those moments when blamed yourself and hated yourself for things that had happened and for things that you had no control over."

"Sweetheart…"

"I'm not foolish enough to think that those moments are gone forever but when it comes, when you find it difficult to love your own self, I want you to _always_ remember that _I_ will love you. Our children will love you. You are everything to us. You've given me so much, Haymitch and I'll cherish you until it's no longer possible to."

"She meant when she dies," Johanna supplied, breaking the moment. Annie clicked her tongue at Johanna's behaviour but nobody chided her for it. Johanna and Katniss were never comfortable dealing with emotions, and neither did Haymitch but where Johanna dealt with it by saying something sharp and blunt, Haymitch coiled his fingers at the back of Effie's neck and kissed her hard before she could say something else.

"As do I, sweetheart," he said simply and Effie understood it well enough.

"Here," Johanna handed Felix a handkerchief, "before you flood the entire district with your tears."

"It's so beautiful."

"Say it," Peeta called out from where he was standing behind the sofa, watching the two people he had grown to love as his own parents. "Say it, Effie."

Effie laughed but she pressed another kiss on Haymitch's lips and whispered, "My husband."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! The toasting, finally! I really, really, really hope you like this chapter. I worried and fretted and worried as much as Effie did about Haymitch while writing this chapter. I've been building up to the toasting for a couple of chapters and I didn't want it to be disappointing. But, I'm happy with how it turned out now. I have to admit, I teared a bit at the toasting because omg these two idiots finally did it. I've spent like nearly 90 chapters writing these two and it sounds a bit dumb, but I feel like I've gone through one hell of a roller coaster ride with them, too, so I'm proud that THEY'RE MARRIED AGAIN! I'm Felix at the end right there ahahah.
> 
> Having said that, I would really love to know your thoughts. Did you like it? What do you think of the chapter? Let me know!
> 
> P.S: I've got the inspiration for Effie's dress from one of Kate Middleton's dress.


	30. Chapter 30

 

**Chapter 30**

If Plutarch was present, everyone would know.

For one, his voice would fill the room; loud and commanding. Secondly, like Felix, he would somehow divert people's attention onto himself.

But after years of knowing the man, Haymitch had learnt not to be distracted by his arrival. Plutarch and his wife together with Beetee, arrived in District Twelve for the wedding dinner while Haymitch and Peeta were in the middle of a serious discussion with Greasy Sae.

Still, it did not stop Plutarch from wriggling his way into the conversation. "What's going on then? I heard about feeding the people in Twelve."

"You do have a way of making it sound like they're a herd of cattle to be fed," Effie shook her head.

"Haymitch and Effie wanted to give back to the district, to do something at the very least but we can't invite all of District Twelve over for the wedding dinner tonight," Peeta took it upon himself to explain, "so we've arranged for Sae's restaurant to serve them dinner for anyone who comes in. We're just smoothing out some wrinkles."

"Why not just throw a party?" Fulvia asked.

"Haymitch doesn't want a party. It's too extravagant and he said it will feel too much like he's throwing it in their faces," Effie tried to enlighten them. "People here have a certain pride and even after the war, financially, we are still better off than them and Haymitch doesn't want – "

"I understand," Fulvia nodded.

"Twelve is not such a big district. Soon, word will get around that we've gotten married and since I've always wanted to do something for them… This seems like a good opportunity. It took the people here awhile but they are generally nice to me. They've accepted me," she glanced over at Greasy Sae and gave the old woman a warm smile, "and they've given Haymitch such tremendous support while he was working on the appeals. Besides, it is bad manners when someone knows you're getting married or in our case, have gotten married, and you didn't invite them."

"I was under the impression that the toasting was supposed to be a small ceremony," Beetee added, "so I hardly think it would be bad manners, as you say, if they were not invited for the event."

"You are right," Peeta laughed, "except you can take the woman out of the Capitol but you can't take the Capitol out of the woman. She insisted it was bad manners so partly as to assuage that 'guilt', we're organizing dinner with Sae. Two birds with one stone, you know?"

"I see," Plutarch nodded. "But ours will be held here, yes?"

"Yeah," Haymitch said. "No media zone around here and that's what I want. Sae's will be the day after."

"We are nearly done," Greasy Sae said. "I'll be going but before that…"

She turned towards Haymitch and her eyes watered with a rare gleam of fondness.

"Never thought I'd see you married _and_ happy, boy," she touched his arm. "Your mama would be happy for you, too. She'd be damn proud. I know she would."

Everyone in the room held their breath at the mention of Haymitch's family, a topic he hardly ever broached with anyone except Effie.

"She'd love her," Haymitch nodded, his eyes straying over to Effie.

"Eventually," Greasy Sae laughed. "Not to offend you, Effie, but you were a bit eccentric before this."

"This is not the first time I'm hearing it," Effie looped her arm around Haymitch and gazed up at him, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"The boy might'a told me 'bout wanting four kids once – two girls and two boys – so I expect more from you," Greasy Sae wagged her finger teasingly at Effie whose eyes widened at this little trivia.

Katniss sputtered. Peeta looked amused.

"I was _fourteen_ ," Haymitch muttered unhappily. "How do you even remember somethin' like that?"

"I see you're not denying it," Felix chimed.

"I may be old, boy, but my memory ain't failing me yet."

"You were thinking about having children at that age?" Effie's brows wrinkled as she asked him, now that she had recovered slightly from the shock. "I thought you never wanted any."

"He wants _four_ children," Felix started laughing. "Tell me, handsome, what else about you we haven't discovered yet?"

"Why were you thinking about children?" Effie pressed further. "And at fourteen, no less!"

Haymitch gritted his teeth. He wished Greasy Sae hadn't opened that can of worms but it was too late now and he could feel all of their curious eyes on him.

"I liked a girl, okay? And she's really fond of children – played with the little kids in the district and all that," he grumbled and then shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't and it shouldn't. Boys at the age like girls all the time, and he was a boy once. "I was young and stupid."

"He never got the girl in the end," Greasy Sae winked. "Made him sad for 'bout a week or so. His mama told me all about it."

The exasperation was clear on Haymitch's voice when he asked, "Why are we talkin' about the past?"

"Go on," Felix needled. "I want to know more about him while he's a teenager. He's never going to tell so… Go on, please. I need to prepare myself in case the twins will be like him."

"That Ethan boy is turning out to be like him. Stubborn and mischievous just like you were. You keep an eye on him," Greasy Sae told Effie. "Now, about the girl, he put a mouse in her bag. Thought it'd be a good way to get her attention probably," Sae laughed as she recalled the memory. "She refused to talk to him afterwards. They grew up and eventually she married someone else and by then, Haymitch was… not the same boy we knew. The girl got your ex-husband a little while later after she married," she spoke to Johanna.

"What?! Oh, fuck no. You had a crush on Gale's mother?!" Johanna screeched and then she broke out into a loud laugh so much so that she doubled over and clutched her stomach. "Hey, Katniss, you heard that?"

"For the last time, I was fourteen fucking years old," Haymitch gritted his teeth just as Effie extended her hands to Haymitch and Johanna for the coins.

"You know what? Hazelle did have four kids. It's not too late for you to catch up to your teenage dreams," Johanna added, teasing him brutally. "Besides, I don't think you'll find any objections."

She winked at Effie which made her pursed her lips. Haymitch caught this entire exchange.

"What is she talking about?"

"Oh, nothing," Effie shook her head, smiling at him. "Nothing at all. You know how Johanna is…"

He narrowed his eyes at her but said little else as they escorted Greasy Sae out the front door. They stood on the porch watching her until she rounded the bend and disappeared from their view.

"You are adorable, Haymitch," she spoke, resting her head on his arm. "I can only imagine you at fourteen - "

"Don't," he growled. "That boy knew nothing."

"But he'll be happy if he can see you now, won't he?" she asked him softly.

"He'll think I'm the fucking greatest," he told her smugly and kissed the corner of her mouth. Effie didn't bother chiding him for his language. "You're hot, sweetheart, and to his little fourteen years old mind, if I can get someone as beautiful as you – "

Haymitch never did finish the rest of his sentence because he had backed her against the wall of their front porch and was intently kissing her. The front door was closed but they could still hear the commotion going on inside their house. There was a high probability of someone walking out of the house to get to one of the other houses in Victor's Village and there was also a chance of someone passing by Victor's Village to get to other parts of the district but the thrill of kissing her out in the open so brazenly like this made him nudged her legs apart with his knee.

He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head.

"This isn't a very good idea," she swallowed back a moan as he nipped at the skin on her neck. "This is neither the time nor the _place_."

"I haven't slept in the same bed with you in a week, sweetheart," he breathed heavily against her shoulder as his fingers fumbled with the zip on the back of her dress. He had been itching to get her out of it since he saw her in it that morning before the toasting. The dress, while beautiful, was tantalizing.

"It's called a wedding night," she wriggled slightly to free her hand but he held on fast to her. "You need to be patient."

"We have too many guests staying over not to mention I have to sit through dinner," he countered. "I will take what I can get and now seems like a good time as any. Why don't you shut up and just kiss me?"

"You're bossy and demanding!"

"I wonder where I get that from," he chuckled but he was smirking as he pulled the zipper all the way down to the small of her back.

"Haymitch Abernathy!" she tugged on her wrists valiantly. "I swear in the name of our children if you have sex with me on the day of _our_ wedding _here_ with me pressed against the wall on our front porch where anyone and everyone can see, I will castrate you, and there won't be any talk about sleeping together anymore. This isn't how I imagine the night to go…"

He shifted back a little to look at her.

"So what I'm getting from this is that I can have sex with you right _here_ on some other day but not today?"

"You are infuriating!" she stepped on his foot. He let go of her wrists.

"I do like you feisty," he winked but his touch on her arm as she was about to turn back to enter the house stopped her briefly. "But really, sweetheart, sleep with me tonight. I miss you."

"Of course, I will," she framed his face. "The toasting is over. They're not going to separate us anymore and if they do, I will have a thing or two to say about it."

He smirked. A part of him wanted to see someone who dared to get in her way. It was always amusing to see her lose her temper with someone else other than him.

"You said you wanted to go to Four. We could," he pointed out as they walked back into the house. His silvery grey eyes glinted as the idea began to take hold and all he could think about was taking her away and the feel of her body writhing under him with no problems and no worries at the back of their minds. "You and I... We can leave tomorrow."

"Haymitch! You have two sons! You don't expect to leave them behind, do you?"

"But they ain't the ones who just got married. We'll leave them with Felix and Johanna for a while, they'll be okay."

"I'm not having this conversation with you until you are ready to be rational."

"It's a honeymoon," he deadpanned.

"You don't believe in honeymoon as I recall," she said sharply.

"And as I recalled, you wanted one so much you pretended you were in danger to get me to Four."

"That has nothing to do with me," she turned her nose at him. "That would be a cheap trick and I don't do cheap. That was entirely Johanna and Felix having a bet and please, you enjoyed yourself in Four, don't pretend as if going down to Four was such a terrible experience for you. You had a good time."

He raised an eyebrow pointedly. "Exactly. You and I, in a room all day… Imagine it…"

Effie seemed to consider this for a moment and purely to aid her, his fingers ghosted down her sides which made her shudder before saying, quite firmly, "We will bring the children."

"Fine," he growled. "They probably won't care about where we go with Finn around to fill their time. They never bothered us much since Finn arrived, did you notice?" he said with a little hint of misplaced jealousy at the boy who effortlessly captured the twins' rapt attention.

XxX

As evening began to approach, the tables were brought out and arranged on the front yard. The plates were set out. The children were delighted to be allowed out after their play time and crowded around Peeta when he set up the children's table under Effie's apple tree. By now, the four of them - five with Ari around - had learnt to claim that particular spot as theirs.

While the adults prepared for the dinner, the children were playing hide and seek with Ari crawling under the table to hide from the boys. Prim was hiding behind the apple tree.

"Watch it!" Johanna snapped when Ethan dashed past her while she was holding on to a pot of stew. "It's hot."

"See, handsome," Felix said as he carried the wines from the cellar out to the yard. "This doesn't look so terrible. It's a small dinner, very laid back. Nothing like what we do in the Capitol."

Haymitch made a noise at the back of his throat but otherwise refused to answer Felix and give him the satisfaction.

Plutarch, he noticed, was not making himself useful. He stood at the head of the table carefully watching everyone as they get everything in place. "Oh, that's a lovely bouquet," he commented.

"Thank you," Effie beamed. "Ethan put it together."

"Such talent! I'm sure he will be a good match for my daughter."

"We've talked about this," Haymitch growled. "I see your daughter ain't here."

"She's with Fulvia's parents. It's their turn this weekend."

The only other person who did not lend a hand was Beetee, not that Haymitch could fault him. He spied Beetee with Tristan who had broken away from the group to push the man around on his wheelchair.

"What's one plus two?" Beetee quizzed the boy.

"Three!" Tristan answered easily enough once he was done counting on his fingers. Haymitch's chest puffed out a little. He gave Tristan a thumbs-up.

"Good, excellent!" Beetee gushed. "If you add five to that answer, what will you get?"

"I'll get eight," Tristan told him after a while.

"So you like math?"

"No," he shook his head causing his curls to fly around. "I like stories. Do you have good stories?"

"Maybe," Beetee smiled. "Who thought you how to count?"

"Mama did."

"I see. So if you like stories, what does your brother like?"

"Stars," Tristan pointed above that. "He likes the sun and the moon. So sometimes dada let him sit out here at night before bedtime. Ethan also wanna be a clown, like at a circus. We read about it in a book! I've never been to a circus."

"Neither have I. But I heard that now that the Games and the war are over, the circus company in the city might put on a show and travel from district to district. You can ask your parents to take you."

Haymitch stilled at the mention of the Games. He would have said something about it to Beetee but he didn't want to draw any unwanted attention. So he waited to see if Tristan picked up on it.

"Games? What sort of games?" Tristan perked up, all interested. "What's a war? What's it mean?"

"It's…"

Haymitch turned slightly to see Beetee hesitating, thinking through the question and then he smiled. Haymitch frowned.

"There's a whole new generation in this country who had never heard of the Games," Beetee raised his head to speak to Haymitch, knowing he was watching. "Your sons, Katniss' daughter, Plutarch's daughter, Annie's son…. It's a new generation and they have _no_ idea. I've never truly… It never truly occurred to me the good that we've done until now. We did something good ending it."

Haymitch crossed his arms and leaned against the tree. He let out a breath. "It was worth it."

"So what's the game about?" Tristan queried. "Is it fun? Can I play with Ethan and Finn? Maybe Prim and Ari can join the games, too."

"You don't want to play this one, peanut. It's not fun. Not at all."

Knowing Tristan, he would press for an explanation but Haymitch escaped that inquisition when his attention was diverted by Ari. He abandoned Beetee and his father to run after the girl. Haymitch watched him, curious to know what he would do.

"No!" he scolded the little girl, his tone mimicking his mother's. "You can _not_ eat dirt. Stop it! You'll be _really_ sick. I'll tell mama you're eating dirt and she'll make you stop. You gotta listen to _me_ 'cause I know things."

Haymitch snorted. _Bossy._

Not quite understanding Tristan's anger, Ari laughed and wiped her hands on her dress. She spread her arms asking to be carried and Tristan did just that. Haymitch's eyes followed his five year old son as he lifted the toddler and waddled towards his mother, complaining about Ari.

"Ari ate dirt, Mama," Tristan reported. "But I stopped her."

"Good boy," Haymitch heard Effie said. "Bring her inside and wash her hands clean, okay? Then you keep an eye on her. Can you do that for me, baby?"

"He plays the role of a big brother very easily," Beetee commented.

"He _is_ older than Ethan."

"He will ask that question again. Not now but one day he will. His parents, his uncles and aunts are all important figures and years from now, people will still talk about it. In school, in the streets… He will pick it up from others and he will ask you. ' _What's the Hunger Games?' 'What war?' 'Who was involved?'_ " Beetee said. "We gave them peace, Haymitch, and we need to teach them to maintain that peace. They need to learn about the past to avoid the same mistakes in the future."

Haymitch fell in step next to Beetee as he wheeled himself towards the table.

"Our responsibility isn't over yet," Beetee added.

"They still have a few more years to go; a few more years before they look at me and Effie differently and pass their judgment. They're my kids, Beetee, and a conversation about me murdering children just so I can live isn't a conversation I want to have at all but I get it that they need to know about the Games. Not so soon."

XxX

Haymitch didn't know dinner could stretch for hours but that night, they broke the record. The main course came and went, as did dessert. By the time the last slice of cake – Peeta did a marvelous job once again - was served, Ari had fallen asleep in Effie's arms. Still, she cradled the child and absentmindedly dropped a kiss or two on her head as they talk.

Under Finn's helpful guide, Felix and Peeta pitched a small tent for the children. They brought out pillows, blankets and lamps, and the four of them spent the night inside, playing games and giggling among themselves, so delighted that they did not have to keep to their bedtime.

At the table, the adults talked late into the night. Haymitch didn't mind this wedding dinner. He wouldn't say it out loud but this felt good and it felt nice to have everyone he had considered his family and his friends around.

Haymitch rested his arm at the back of Effie's chair, his finger was drawing mindless pattern on her arm as he listened to Plutarch's ridiculous story of his time in school where he met Fulvia.

"You should put her to bed," Haymitch spoke quietly to Effie.

"It's fine. I don't mind it," she smiled at him as she tenderly brushed back Ari's hair away from her face. "She called me mama today," Effie admitted and with that one simple sentence, Haymitch became tense. "She heard Ethan and Tristan, and she mimicked them."

"It meant nothing. She was just repeating what she heard. Don't you read too much into it and don't get so attached," he warned her.

"She's a sweet girl, Haymitch, and she doesn't deserve what her parents did to her. She's innocent."

"Effie…"

"We're keeping the bride and groom up," Felix declared. "I'm sure they have _better_ things to do tonight, if you know what I mean."

"Ew," Katniss shuddered involuntarily. "Please refrain from implying things like that when I'm around."

"Give Ari over," Johanna beckoned. "You two can go ahead and fuck like rabbits. Peeta and Felix have arranged it so that you both will have an _uninterrupted_ night – your house all to yourself."

Effie clicked her tongue. "Must you be so vulgar?"

"Why? Ari's asleep. The children are over there out of hearing range," she jerked her thumb at the tent. "Why don't you go off and get to it? As if you two didn't make out at the front porch when you sent Greasy Sae off this afternoon."

Effie gasped.

"Katniss saw from the window. I have never seen her turned so pale so fast," Peeta chuckled.

"Even if Katniss hadn't seen it, we would still know," Felix laughed lightly. "You both took a while to come back and Effie's lipstick was a little bit smudge."

"Stop teasing them," Annie shook her head.

"So you two should go and have some wedding night fun," Johanna waved her hand at them, "but please keep the volume down because there are still children in this vicinity, I still need to sleep and I don't need to hear either of your disgusting cries of pleasure."

"Stop it!" Katniss said, looking mildly distress as the images became more vivid.

Haymitch didn't need to be told twice. Once Effie was free of Ari, he grabbed her hand and led her into the house and up to their bedroom. They didn't emerge until Felix sent one of the twins knocking on their bedroom door the next day.

"Uncle Felix said it's time for lunch so you gotta come down but Aunt Johanna said you're eating each other. I don't know what she means 'cause you can't eat people. That's very bad!" Ethan said through the door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the tone of this chapter seems a bit jumbled with that snippet of Haymitch's past, hayffie making out at the front porch, Beetee talking about the Games and then the dinner itself but I can't seem to control the characters and what they're saying in this one. Still, I do hope the chapter was good for you. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Before the marriage law, waking up was a biological reaction. There was only so long that he could sleep or in his case passed out before that became something his body no longer needed. Waking up was not something he looked forward to and that was the way it was for years.

Nowadays, waking up evoked a different feeling in him, especially with Effie next to him. He could wake up in the middle of the night to see her sleeping next to him and it didn't make him panic. It didn't make him want to run away. He could go back to sleep with relative ease and wake up when the sun is up feeling well-rested and contented.

Waking up next to Effie could also be pleasurable and she proved it that morning.

As he roused from his slumber, he was aware of the subtle smell of lavender soap first before his breath hitched as something stirred at the pit of his stomach.

 _That_ was definitely Effie's hand around him, stroking and teasing.

"What happened to kissing me till I wake up?" he mumbled, stretching on his back and folding his arms to pillow his head. He might as well make himself comfortable.

"A change can be good, don't you think?" she whispered in a low voice as she stretched to plant a kiss on his lips. "Good morning."

Haymitch returned her kiss, bringing an arm to her waist to bring her closer. He pressed his tongue to her lip and as she granted him access, he splayed his hand across the small of her back and let a lone finger traced the column of her spine.

He lived for her kisses now; they were soft and pliant at times, hungry and demanding in others.

When they broke apart to catch their breath, Haymitch lifted the covers slightly to take a peek below the sheet. He smirked at the sight of her working on him.

"Another round?"

"That was the idea," she laughed lightly and began nuzzling his neck with kisses, lingering longer than the others on his pulse point.

That might be her idea but _his_ was to blow her mind. _Again_.

Haymitch maneuvered them so that for the third time since they were excused from the wedding dinner, Effie was under him, her nails digging into his back as he slid into her. Her legs came up to wrap around his waist and drew him in deeper as she urged him on. Haymitch knew her like the back of his hands so he kissed her at the exact moment when her scream would have escaped her lips.

The sheets were bundled in her fists as she lay on the bed, panting. He collapsed on top of her, pressing his face into her breasts as he tried to steady his breathing.

"We are too old to be doing this right before going to sleep and then again after we wake up," Effie chuckled after Haymitch finally rolled off her.

Haymitch grumbled under his breath when she began to fuss and adjusted her head to fit on the crook of his neck.

"Y'know, sweetheart, now that the law's over, you can get those birth control pills, yeah? They ain't illegal anymore," he pointed out just as he rolled the condom off and tossing it in the bin. "Or we can continue using these – whatever, no big deal."

"I can, yes. I will do so soon," she mumbled tiredly. "It's more fun without it."

Haymitch snorted and then lifted his head to look at her with a frown. "You're going to sleep again?" He reached out to the bedside table and showed what he had grabbed. "We have three more packets…"

An undignified yelp escaped from her when Haymitch pulled her on top of him, brushed her hair back and tucked it behind her ear. When she smiled at him, he kissed her. It was slow and lazy. They could do this in bed all day.

Haymitch played with her hair and stroked her cheek, contented with being able to touch her. She on the other hand wanted something more because her hand were wandering south down from his stomach to his -

"Dada!"

Ethan's voice startled them that Effie moved away from him and pulled the covers up to her chin. The door handle rattled and Haymitch sighed in relief. It would have been terrible if the boy had walked in on them because even if Haymitch and Effie came up with an excuse to explain what they were doing, Ethan would have talked about what he saw to his brother or worst, to one of the adults.

"It's lock, Uncle Felix. I can't go in!" Ethan shouted.

Haymitch heard someone answered but the voice was faint.

"Uncle Felix said it's time for lunch so you gotta come down but Aunt Johanna said you're eating each other. I don't know what she means 'cause you can't eat people. That's very bad!"

Effie was laughing silently with her face pressed against Haymitch's shoulder.

"I thought Felix promised us an uninterrupted night?" Haymitch frowned.

"He did - it's almost lunchtime. We had the night."

"We need more nights like that."

XxX

Ever since Haymitch and Effie broke the news to them, Ethan would not stop talking about the beach. His excitement was contagious. Finn and the twins were deep in cahoots, planning about the things they would do in Four.

"We build sandcastles!" Ari interrupted.

"No – that's boring!" Finn exclaimed. "We gotta go swimming."

Ari pouted and sat dejectedly.

"It's okay, I will build sandcastles with you," Tristan smiled and kissed her cheek. It made the little girl grin and she stuck close to Tristan afterwards.

"Swimming is more fun! There'll be waves and if you swim deeper, your feet can't touch the ground and it's _so_ cool! Sometimes, mummy let one of the fishermen take me out to sea so I get to see fishes swimming around."

"I don't know how to swim like that!" Ethan told Finn, glancing at his father uncertainly. "Nobody taught me how to. When we go swimming at Uncle Felix's apartment – they have the pool for kids and… there are no waves…"

Finn wrinkled his nose. "That's for _babies._ Like Ari. You're not a baby."

"I'll teach you," Effie told him, wiping a dirty spot on the corner of Ethan's mouth. "I'll teach you and your brother… And you, too, Ari. I know how to swim."

"You sure?" Haymitch raised an eyebrow, "'cause the pool and the sea are two very different conditions, sweetheart."

"Well, we have to expose them to these things. I don't want them to – "

Effie didn't finish the sentence but Haymitch knew what she wanted to say.

_I don't want them to grow up sheltered like I did._

"I don't understand why we're going along or why you're taking the boys with you," Johanna chewed loudly on her omelette. "It's a honeymoon…"

"I am not leaving my children behind for an extended period of time. I will miss them too much," Effie said.

"Yeah, she will, and I don't want her to spend the entire time there whining about missing two rascals," Haymitch added.

"Besides, I think it will be more fun with all of you there. Peeta is talking to Katniss about this so… It will be a family vacation - our first ever!"

Johanna rolled her eyes but there was a hint of a smile at the very idea.

"Excellent!" Felix clapped his hands. "The more the merrier. The only family vacation I had was at the family villa at the outskirts of the city. It got rather boring after a while."

"Yeah, I can imagine. If I have to stay in a _villa_ with several other people like you or your brother or Effie here, I'd lose my mind," Johanna snickered.

"Feed her more omelettes so her mouth will be occupied with something else other than to insult me," Felix ordered. "Now, I supposed this is a good time as any to tell you this. The properties in District Four – Elias' resort – have been transferred to me. You are looking at the owner of the holiday beach resort," Felix winked.

The adults in the table stared at him.

"Uh – how did that happen?" Haymitch asked.

"Oh, after his arrest, Thalia won her case against Elias. The resort was stripped from him and the title deed was returned to her. She transferred it to my name as the final insult to my brother and because she felt horrible that I was shot. I supposed being nearly murdered by my brother has its perks."

"What are you going to do with it? Are you going to sell – "

"Sell?" Felix looked scandalised. "No, no of course not! I am going to manage and run it. Elias always said I am useless and a disappointment to the family. This is… " his voice dropped, an uncharacteristic behaviour from someone who was always so jovial and vivacious. "I can show him. This is my chance. I may not show the same interest in business as he did and maybe I would not ever be as good as he'll be but father did teach me and guide me before he died. I think I can do it."

Johanna clapped his back. "You slay that son of a bitch."

"No cursing!" Effie snapped before she pulled Felix into a hug. "I am proud of you, Felix, so proud. I have no doubt that you'll be able to do it."

"Yes," Felix smiled. "Thank you. I was – uh – wondering if you'd like to help me out, Johanna? You'll have a place to stay and you'll be close to Annie and Finn. I've given it some thought and I figured it could work out for you, in that sense. You're not obliged to agree, of course, but I want to try my luck."

"You better think about that properly, Felix," Haymitch told him. "You think anyone will stay at your resort when they walk in and see Jo's scowling face?"

"I'll do it just so when Haymitch comes to visit I can tell the people at the bar to ignore _all_ of his orders and mess up his room service."

"Childish, are we?" Haymitch raised an eyebrow.

"Don't let that scare you off, Haymitch, because while we're all vacationing in District Four and Annie has been so gracious to accommodate us all, I have a room for the two of you," Felix looked at Haymitch and Effie. "It is still your honeymoon after all. Don't worry about the boys. They'll be at Annie's and you can come visit us anytime!"

Effie and Haymitch exchanged a look and then without saying a word to each other, they turn to Felix and nodded.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ethan knocked on the door at such a wrong time or it would have been round four for hayffie. and they're finally going to Four!
> 
> I added that little bit about Felix bc I think Felix actually isn't that failure his brother made him out to be. He's just a free spirit and with his brother locked away in jail, maybe he can finally do something without Elias belittling him. And I feel that Johanna sometimes has no idea what to do with herself. I see her as someone who'll travel from district to district after the war in between being a parent to Finn just to see the world and find something meaningful but she never feel like she belonged anywhere so maybe Felix can help her find a purpose, somewhat.


	32. Chapter 32

 

**Chapter 32**

Under Felix, the beach resort went through some changers, big and small. The most glaring of which was that it no longer reeked of a building trying to roll in money from the guests. Felix made it warm and welcoming, and it gave off the impression that the owner of the place truly cared if people were actually having a pleasant and enjoyable stay.

When Haymitch and Effie walked into the lobby, they spotted Felix grinning behind the counter. The receptionist standing next to Felix was still the same girl from their first visit which meant that Felix kept the staff.

"Impressive," Haymitch commented.

Felix and Johanna left for District Four a week before the rest of them did to deal with matters at the resort but from what Felix had told them, Thalia had given him a lot of help during the early days when the property was transferred to him and he couldn't be there on account of his injury and Effie's wedding.

"Welcome, welcome," Felix beckoned, beaming proudly.

"This place looks beautiful, Felix!" Effie gushed. "You've done a wonderful job!"

A staff approached them and Haymitch gratefully accepted the welcome drink, finishing it off in one go. He dabbed his face with the accompanying wet towel, relishing the feel of the cool sensation against his sweaty skin.

Felix had arranged for them to be picked up but Effie had wanted to walk over from Annie's house to the other end of the street where the resort was located after they had dropped off the twins. Katniss and Peeta had declined Felix's offer for a room at the resort and had opted to spend their vacation with Annie.

"Felix!" a sharp voice rang out.

The staff who had served Haymitch his iced tea perked up suddenly. He exchanged an amused glance with Haymitch as if he had seen the same kind of scene unfold several times and found it entertaining.

"What the fuck is this?"

The change in Felix was immediate. The smile slid off his face and he shut his eyes, taking in deep calming breaths. Johanna Mason strode into the lobby, carrying a long, bright pink cloth filled with sequins while looking at it with disgust.

"Oh, no! Absolutely not! You leave that one alone," Felix shook his finger. "Put it back on the table where you found it."

"Why would I do that?"

"It makes the table pretty." His tone warned her not to argue with him but it was in vain.

"It's fucking hideous and you'll only give the guests a headache. Have you thought - Oh! Good, the both of you are here. What do you think of this, Haymitch?" she addressed him while completely ignoring Effie. It didn't take a genius to understand why Johanna didn't want Effie's opinion on the matter. "Throw or no?"

"Throw," Haymitch answered without the slightest bit of hesitation.

Felix and Effie glared at him. She took the table runner and handed it to the staff waiting on them.

"Be a dear and put it back where Johanna took it, please," Effie smiled. Her expression turned serious then. "Now, how are the both of you managing? You should know I'm very concern. I love you both deeply and I want this to succeed for both your sake but well, you two are very, _very_ different people with different outlooks and personalities and - Well, how are you managing it all?"

"Horribly," Johanna and Felix answered at the same time and then they exchanged a knowing smirk.

"Where do I begin?" Felix sighed dramatically. "I've gotten around to decorating my hotel and sitting down with the renovators to discuss some changes, so of course, Johanna's there. She'll give her opinion and they are all so terribly different than mine. It's a horror show."

"You asked for _my_ help," Johanna pointed out. "Besides, his colours clashed with each other. Would you want to stay in a room with purple and pink walls? I don't."

Haymitch eyes widened. "Be serious…"

" _But_ I'm actually having fun," Johanna told them and she wasn't lying. "I like the bar room. It's pretty interesting. Marc - he's the bartender - he showed me a few things or two, and so far I've tended the bar for two nights. I think I'm a fucking natural. Want a drink, Haymitch?" she winked.

"Ohhh, Marc," Felix eyes twinkled and wriggled his brows. "He's got nice lips, don't you think, Johanna?"

Johanna rolled her eyes but whatever grievances they had was cast aside when Felix tossed her a smile. At times, they reminded Haymitch of the twins; arguing one second and then acting as if everything was normal.

"She's difficult but she's been a tremendous help. Johanna handled the reservations on the front desk a few times and she's good at it. She also recently punched a rowdy, drunk guest in the face just two days ago. I was horrified naturally. But he said something nasty things about me when he found out that I'm... "

"He should mind his own business," Johanna growled. "It doesn't affect him if you like men."

"How did that come about?" Haymitch asked.

"Ah, the marriage law… He asked if Felix renewed his marriage and then, you know..." Johanna shrugged. "He put two and two together."

"Honestly, I'm glad Johanna's around," Felix admitted once Johanna's out of ear shot. "It's more fun doing this with a friend. Oh, here we are! This is your suite. Enjoy your stay!" he flashed them a smile. "I take constructive criticism on how to make this resort better, just so you know. Guests satisfaction is always important."

Their suite was grand. It was huge and spacious. There was a king-sized bed which would fit them both _and_ the boys if they wanted to stay at the resort and a black leather sofa at a corner facing the big television screen. The bathroom was impressive, too. There was a large bathtub and Haymitch was already thinking of what they could both do in it together.

The suite also came with a private terrace. When he opened the door to let in the cool draft of air, he was greeted by the vast expanse of clear, blue water. The terrace led directly to the ocean.

"Come out here, it's something we don't get to see back home," Haymitch glanced over his shoulder. "Seriously, sweetheart, come here. You can sit at the edge of the terrace and dip your feet in the waters. Hell, you can even jump right in if you're into that sort of thing."

All he heard was a deep, happy sigh.

"The bed feels so good," she waved her arms up and down, enjoying the feel of the soft duvet and clearly not making any effort to get up at all. Effie lay on it with a huge smile on her lips. "Come join me."

Abandoning the terrace and the perfect view, Haymitch retreated back into the suite. He stood at the edge of the bed, towering over Effie who was grinning up and him. She extended her hand to him.

He didn't mind this view either.

He leaned forward to capture her lips. "Sex?" he asked.

"So crude," she slapped his arm. "Make love to me."

"So bossy," he retorted but unbuttoned his shirt without any further arguments and took off the belt from his pants.

Effie said nothing but he could feel her gaze on him, watching him with interest as he hooked his hand on the back of her calf to raise her leg. As he placed his lips on the inner side of her foot and trailed his tongue up towards her ankle, he kept his eyes on her. Effie had always been ticklish so it wasn't surprising when she jerked her leg back but Haymitch held to it, refusing to let her escape that easily. He peppered kisses on her ankle to her calf and up to her inner thigh.

The sheets were bundled in her fist and she leaned back on her elbows, giving out small whimpers of pleasure. He fumbled with the edge of her dress before he shoved it up and out of the way impatiently. Effie laughed at his poor attempt before she took pity on him and sat up to unzip her dress. He was already reaching out to unclasp her bra and when she was finally naked in front of him, Haymitch gently pushed her back on the bed.

Haymitch let his hands roamed all over her body as he kissed her slowly and lazily until she bit on his bottom lip, and after that, it was all teeth and tongues tangling together and hands fumbling with each other.

"I thought you said make love," he said breathlessly, chuckling. "I was thinking slow..."

"Sorry," she mumbled, pulling him down for another kiss and this time, she took it slow. She tilted her head back slightly to look at him and framed his face in her hand. "I haven't told you I love you today."

"I know it so you don't have to tell me - "

"I love you," she kissed the corner of his mouth.

At some point, Haymitch lifted her off the bed and with her legs wrapped tightly around his waist for support he carried her out of their room to the terrace and straight into the water. He let her down gently before he joined her.

"Here? I've never done it in the sea before!" she exclaimed, shivering slightly from the coldness.

"Me neither," he grinned.

Then they were back to how they were before with him carrying her and her feet digging into his back. She threw her head back to laugh and Haymitch seized the opportunity to kiss the exposed column of her throat.

"We're going to drown, Haymitch! Don't move far from our room - keep to the edge. You can't swim that well!"

 _Trust her to think about drowning in the middle this_ , he snorted. He wasn't worried because the water was only up to his waist.

"I got you. I'll keep close to the edge of the terrace," he assured her.

It took some adjusting on both their parts but once they were comfortable and once he had buried himself deep inside of her, she forgot all about her worries and was more concerned with asking him to go faster. Effie clung to him and moaned loudly with every thrusts and it didn't take her long before she slumped against him.

"That was _fuckin_ ' amazing," he breathed into her ear.

She could only nod, a satisfied grin carved on to her feature.

Haymitch was mindful to keep a tight hold on her and then helped her up the terrace where she was more than content to simply lay on the lounge chair.

"You'll burn and I don't want to hear you complain 'bout it. Come on, get inside," he coaxed her.

XxX

 _District Four was filled with clichés_ , Haymitch mused the moment Annie suggested that they have dinner by the beach on the first night of their arrival. There was a restaurant whose owner she knew that could accommodate them on the last minute notice without a reservation.

Naturally, Effie and Peeta had enthusiastically agreed to it when they found out that the restaurant was situated so that its patrons could all watch the sun set over the horizon as they enjoy their meal.

Dinner itself was an adventure in an unexpected way. Ethan and Tristan had never in their life eaten a lobster. Ethan was fascinated by it and spent a long time poking and prodding it than enjoying his meal.

"But how does it _move?"_ he glanced up at Haymitch. "When it's alive… How does it move, dada?"

"I don't know," Haymitch told him in exasperation. "Why don't you just it, tiger?"

"It looks scary," Tristan wrinkled his nose. "I'm not eatin' it. I don't want it."

"You have to try it," Felix insisted. "It tastes great, Tristan, I promise."

"No, I want chicken. Can I have somethin' else, Mama?"

"I don't want it, too!" Prim added. "I think it bites."

"It's dead," Katniss fixed her daughter with a look. "It's food so don't be picky."

Peeta stepped in just then to speak quietly to his daughter.

Haymitch raised an eyebrow at Katniss who shook her head silently. There was something off about her since they arrived and Haymitch had passed it off as nothing, thinking that being in District Four probably reminded her of Finnick.

"You need a drink," Haymitch declared and tried to pour her some wine only to have Katniss cover her glass with her hand.

"Ah," Peeta smiled knowingly. "I guess it's time. Shall I, Katniss?"

He stood up when Katniss have half a shrug and with barely concealed excitement he announced that she was expecting their second child.

"I'm hoping it will be a boy this time," Peeta grinned. He squeezed Katniss' shoulder affectionately. "We won't know till a few more months, I think?"

All around the table heartfelt congratulations were exchanged with plenty of hugs and kisses, and Tristan's constant "you're going to have a little baby?" at Prim.

"What's a baby?" Tristan asked with a frown. "Is it like when Ari was small?"

"Yes," Effie nodded. "Smaller than when you first met Ari…"

"Do they sleep in bed with wheels?" Ethan queried, remembering his conversation with Haymitch weeks ago in the hospital. "Oh! Prim's baby will get a bed with wheels! Can I see when you have the bed?"

"Your son is only interested in the bed," Katniss pointed out with an amused smile.

"At least we know where his priorities lie in case he gets a sibling," Johanna laughed as her gaze shifted to Effie who shook her head imperceptibly at the younger woman.

Again, Haymitch caught the exchange, and he wondered why they both taught they could be discreet with him around. Johanna was slipping and Effie was never good at being very subtle. When Effie reached out for his hand, his finger curled around hers.

"I'm so happy for them," she spoke softly. "I never thought Katniss and Peeta could… I'm proud of them."

"As am I," he nodded.

"Another baby…" she said wistfully. "We'll hear a baby's cry again in Victor's Village."

The faraway look in Effie's eyes did not sit well with him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want a general idea of how their terrace let out straight to the ocean and how it isn't deep and such, you can google club med Maldives and see it for yourself :)
> 
> Tiny little bit of angst next week bc there hasn't been angst in a while so i'll leave you to guess what it's about. leave a review!


	33. Chapter 33

 

** Chapter 33 **

The coastline was beautiful against the setting sun, the gentle curve disappearing into the night. The children stood in a line watching the red orb slowly settling down into the horizon.

"The sun sets in the west," Ethan declared before pointing to the east. "Tomorrow, it will come out from there. I know so."

Haymitch's lips twitched. Ethan could be a show-off when he wanted to.

"So," Peeta leaned back in his seat and addressed Effie. "What's next on your schedule, Effie?"

"I don't have anything scheduled," Effie ducked her head in embarrassment when everyone teased her about it. "Now that I have two sons and we're on a vacation, it will do well not to plan too much. You just never know what will come up."

Since the night was still young and none of the children wanted to go to bed yet, they agreed to retire to the beach. Even at this time of the night, the beach was aglow from the dim lamps lining the streets. They weren't the only ones at the beach, there were others sitting around. They managed to find a spot away from other people.

"Can we swim now?" Ethan asked.

"No," Finn shook his head. "You can't at night 'cause it's dark but we can swim tomorrow! We're going swimming tomorrow, aren't we?"

"We are," Effie confirmed. "So let's all save the energy for tomorrow. Let's walk along the beach instead."

With the exception of Haymitch and Johanna, the rest of the adults took the children along. For a while, they spent their time collecting seashells and because Ethan was stubborn, he toed off his sandals and dipped his feet in the water at the edge of the beach.

"Stop it!" Tristan screamed when Ethan kept kicking seawater at him but he was quick to pull Ari protectively behind him. "Stop it, you're a meanie - it's gotten in my eyes."

Haymitch watched them carefully, ready to get on his feet in case it escalated into a fight and they get too rough but he relaxed a little when the children moved on to build sandcastles. Haymitch was actually surprised Effie said nothing to the twins kneeling on the sand and dirtying their pants.

The peace was broken when Prim started arguing with Ari but it didn't take long for Katniss to soothe her daughter and for Effie to pick Ari up and away from the older girl, patting her hair comfortingly. Annie gave each of them a seashell to calm them which worked except soon, the youngest of their group broke into tears again.

Effie's kisses did nothing to soothe Ari and she kept pointing to where Johanna and Haymitch were sitting on a mat at the beach watching them curiously. Haymitch wondered what had happened. He didn't like the sound of a child's cry and the sight of the girl in tears made him want to go over and make whatever was upsetting her right again.

Haymitch had seen Ari cried too many times for him to keep track; when Annie first brought her to Twelve, small and malnourished; when someone raised their voice a little and she thought it was her they were angry at; when she was taken from Annie by the Family and Social Services Department; when Annie or Effie wandered too far away from her and she lost sight of them. There were too many instances and Haymitch couldn't help but try to pinpoint what was causing the tears this time.

He knew Ari's issue. The girl was afraid of being abandoned. It was the same problem Tristan had just a few months ago when the twins were taken from him. It wasn't surprising then that Tristan was the one Ari had grown closer, and it was Tristan who took her hand and approached him.

"Dada," he stood in front of him, "we found a crab over there. So we were playin' with it and Ari touched it 'cause Finn said it's okay. She touched its um... its pincers and she got hurt."

"You shouldn't have listened to Finn," Johanna chuckled. "He's too daring."

"Let me see it," Haymitch beckoned. Ari's eyes darted from Tristan to Haymitch warily. She remained close to Tristan, seeking his safety until the boy gently lifted her hand to show it to Haymitch. "It's nothin'. See, it's a small cut. You're tougher than that, yeah?"

"It hurts," her breath hitched as she wiped the tears and snot away. "Can you make it better?"

"I don't know," Haymitch said. "What will make it better?"

She looked at Tristan who nodded encouragingly. Then she moved forward and stepped in between Haymitch's legs. She looked up at him, almost shy in her demeanour.

"I don't wanna play anymore, Dada. I sit here with you until its better."

Haymitch's heart gave a sudden lurched at hearing her call him by the same name that his sons did. He turned towards Tristan who didn't seem to find anything odd in that before Haymitch remembered what she had called Effie by.

"Dada?" Tristan prompted, waiting for an answer.

"Yeah sure," Haymitch shrugged. Only then did Tristan let go of Ari's hand. "I got her. Go and play."

"I wanna be here with you and Ari," Tristan said instead.

Ari stood in between Haymitch's bend knees, smiled radiantly up at him before she flopped down on the sand. She sucked on her injured finger and leaned against Haymitch's leg. Johanna watched them out of the corner of her eyes.

Haymitch cleared his throat but Ari was oblivious to his discomfort.

"Night-night," she pointed above them.

"Fireflies," Haymitch told her softly.

He spent his time around two children for nearly six years now and he was used to having them around but Ari was different. He wasn't sure how to act around her.

His gaze fell on her, still small for her age. The dark curls were a riot on her head and he could almost hear Effie complaining about the knots. He lifted a finger and pulled on a curl, like he was prone to do with Effie's hair only to have his finger snagged on a curl.

"Ow!" the girl rubbed her head.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Is your finger better? Do you want to go and build sandcastles now?"

"So eager to get rid of her," Johanna teased and he glared at her

"No," Ari shook her head adamantly. "I sit here with you. I don't wanna play."

"Prim wouldn't let her 'cause – "

"She says Ari's a monkey. She kept jumping on her sandcastles," Haymitch completed what Tristan had wanted to tell him.

"M - Monkey!" she said proudly. "Monkey bad?"

Haymitch's finger found her hair once more and curled it around his finger. "They ain't bad. They're trouble sometimes, mischievous. Kind of like Ethan."

"They're naughty?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, you could put it that way. They like to take things from you, especially when you have food, but they are… They've got lots of energy, up to no good at times."

Somehow, that made Ari upset for she pouted.

"I can be good," she said softly, wringing her hands together. "I promise. If I'm no good, people take me away - bad people. I stay here, okay?"

"Who told you that?" Haymitch frowned.

Ari pointed at Finn. Haymitch sighed. He was aware that Finn had trouble adjusting to having Ari around. Annie had told Johanna in the hopes that she could talk to Finn about it and Annie had also confided her worries to Effie who shared it with Haymitch. For years, Finn grew up with his mother's undivided attention but when Ari came along, his lifestyle changed.

"Nobody's taking you away, monkey," Haymitch muttered gruffly.

It made Johanna shook her head disapprovingly. "You shouldn't tell her things like that. She's going to believe you."

"It means it's true," Tristan piped in.

He was standing behind Haymitch with his arms wound around Haymitch's neck. Tristan leaned forward, putting his entire weight on Haymitch's back as he grinned down at Ari over his father's shoulder.

"Dada never lied to me. When I was really, really sick in the hospital, Dada promised he'll take me to Four to visit Finn when I'm better. I'm better now and we're in Four. See! So you should listen to Dada."

Tristan ended that passionate declaration with a beam. He was nearly six and to him, Haymitch was everything. It made Haymitch afraid at times that the boys would be disappointed in him if they knew his past.

"I stay here?" Ari asked hopefully.

"I don't know, monkey, don't you want to see your mother?"

"I'm no monkey!" her brows crinkled.

Since the twins' arrival, cute had become a part of Haymitch's vocabulary though he would not be caught dead actually using the word. But right now, he thought it was adorable how indignant Ari looked.

"You're really fond of nicknames aren't you? Peanut, tiger and now, monkey," Johanna snickered.

He shrugged.

"Anyway, I'm going over there," she pointed to a hut, "and I'm going to get myself a drink. Want anything? A beer or something - you don't get drunk on beer, yeah?"

With Johanna gone, he was left alone with Ari and Tristan, the latter was still clinging to his back. Once in a while, Tristan will reach out over Haymitch's shoulder to playfully poke Ari's cheeks which caused the girl to giggle and try to avoid it. It became a game to them.

"You remember your mother?" Haymitch jostled Ari lightly. He was curious and it disturbed him that Ari did not react to him asking her about her mother earlier. He wondered if she remembered the woman who gave birth to her at all.

Tristan stopped poking her to prop his chin on Haymitch's shoulder. He didn't understand the question but it wasn't directed at him so he kept his mouth shut, waiting for Ari to answer. Ari, on the other hand, was looking at Haymitch with confusion. Still, she made an attempt to answer it just to please him, he supposed.

She lifted her small chubby finger, pointing it straight to Annie and then to Effie.

"That's _my_ mama, silly," Tristan laughed lightly.

"Mama," she beamed and nodded enthusiastically.

It became obvious to him that she did not remember her biological mother. She saw something in Annie and in Effie instead.

"You like Effie, huh?"

"A lot!" she grinned, her voice rose a little in her excitement. She ducked her head when she realised. "Mama makes me pretty. Dada likes me?"

Ari turned around to look at him, eyes wide and hopeful. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to say anything else other than a yes. He certainly didn't _dislike_ the girl. He didn't have anything against her except he was wary that everyone here was getting too attached. They were bound to get their hearts broken but that wasn't Ari's fault.

"I – "

_How old is she? 2? 3?_

At that age, everything was a yes or a no to her. She wouldn't understand his explanation. She was still too young.

"Yeah, monkey, I like you."

Her face split into a wide grin.

"I like you, too!" Tristan exclaimed loudly.

It drew Effie's attention. She glanced at them and when she saw Ari with him and Tristan, she smiled at him warmly even if the sight surprised her. He could actually count on his fingers the number of times he had interacted with the girl. They were few and far between.

In his opinion, it went downhill from there. Ari refused to engage in any more play with the others and remained by Haymitch's side. Each time he called her a monkey, she would giggle happily. Once, when she framed his face to kiss his cheek, Haymitch was so startled he froze.

Johanna eyed him but did nothing to take the girl away from him. Eventually, as the night stretched, she fell asleep in Haymitch's arm only to cry when Johanna tried to lift her up so Haymitch could stand. Johanna handed her back to Haymitch and the girl slumped against him, her head lolling on his shoulder.

"I'm beginning to be jealous that you found yourself a new girl," Effie pouted, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You're even carrying her home."

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "If you want, you can carry her dead weight, I won't complain," he retorted but fell silent when Effie stretched to peck his lips.

XxX

Most of the time, Haymitch didn't know why Effie bothered fluffing the pillow because she would end up with her head on his chest or his arm anyway. That night was no different. She used his arm as a pillow and turned on her sides, facing him.

"Did you enjoy your time with her tonight?" she asked, a lone finger tracing the rough stubble on his cheek.

He grumbled under his breath because he knew who Effie was referring to and he didn't want to talk about it.

"She's a little scared of you, Haymitch. She thinks you don't like her."

"Yeah? She didn't look like she's scared of me. We were doing okay. She asked and I told her."

"And what did you tell the poor girl?"

"That I like her… What else can I say? She's a kid."

"Did you lie to her?"

He gave her a sharp look. "Is that what you think of me? I got nothin' against her, sweetheart. She's just a kid."

"You were sweet on her today."

"She came to me crying. What was I to do?"

"It's her eyes, isn't it? She looks at you with those big, bright eyes and you're just gone. It's the same with the twins. You give in _every_ time. You're a softie beneath this grumpy act."

He glared at her.

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone," she laughed. "Room service?"

At home, Effie would never approve of eating on the bed but here, on their vacation, she finished an entire plate of cake with her legs stretched out under the covers as she leaned against the headboard. She licked the spoon click, moaning in satisfaction which made his blood race.

When she was done, she placed the plate on the night stand, settled back down next to him with her chin propped on his chest. For a while, all she did was watch him.

"What?" he asked when it went on for too long that it was beginning to unsettle him.

"I want another."

"What? One cheesecake wasn't enough? Call room service then."

"No," Effie sighed heavily. "You know what I want."

"No, sweetheart, I don't."

"You wanted four," she said slowly.

Her words rang in his ears and he stiffened. The pieces began to fit together in his mind. All those heavy, meaningful glances with Johanna, that look on her face when Katniss announced her pregnancy, that sigh when she imagined a baby's cry filling up Victor's Village once again.

Haymitch swallowed heavily. _Children_ , his mind filled the gaps. _She's talking about children._

"That's low, sweetheart," he forced his breathing to even out and stared at the ceiling. She shouldn't have brought it up. She shouldn't use that information on him. "I was fourteen. It was a different time. After… When I know what having children meant, I didn't want any."

"It's a different world now," she said gently. "You're good with children, Haymitch. We're married and for real this time. We can plan it. With the twins, the pregnancy was a surprise but it doesn't have to be that way this time. Don't you want to experience it again?"

_Do I want to?_

He thought he knew why she would want to experience it again. The way he acted when he found out…. The weeks that followed when they didn't speak to each other… The first few doctor's appointment he missed… She wanted them to experience it _together_ now.

It _could_ be different this time. If she was pregnant, he would be there from the beginning. Except…

"I'm not gettin' you pregnant, Effie," he said much more sharply than he intended. "You're only sayin' this 'cause Katniss is pregnant, isn't it?" he accused.

She blinked at him. "You're wrong."

"So why now? Why are you asking this of me?"

Her eyes hardened. She pushed herself up and walked over to the vanity, taking out a hair brush and began to methodically brush her hair with her back to him.

He pushed the covers back, scooted to the edge of the bed and sat on it, watching her. "It's risky. I'm not taking the chance."

Effie knew what he was referring to because she added quietly, "we can be very careful. _I_ can be very careful."

"We already have two boys," he argued. "Aren't they enough?"

"They mean the world to me, Haymitch, and I love them with all my heart. The same way that I will love our new baby with – "

"Stop," he rubbed his forehead. "Don't say it."

She turned in her seat then to face him. Effie leaned forward eagerly, tugging his hand away from his face.

"You must have seen how Tristan behaves around Ari, or Ethan, for that matter. They're so good to her. They're protective and caring, and our boys will make great big brothers."

"They're already a handful when they argue and when they get in trouble. We don't need more. This isn't a good idea, sweetheart," he tried to reason with her.

"I've always wanted a girl… A beautiful princess I can spoil – "

"That's stupid," he said and she recoiled. Haymitch bit his tongue and reached out for her. "I didn't mean… You won't know if it'll be a girl. There's no guarantee. It's not like you can control the damn gender when we make a baby."

"But we can try…" her eyes lighted up again with a new idea. "The Capitol has medical equipment…. They're so advance that they can – "

"Fuck no," Haymitch cut her off. He couldn't believe she would even suggest tampering with a pregnancy that way. "Even if you're pregnant, I ain't letting them mess with you on the inside just so you can have a girl. How the fuck does that work, anyway? You know what, it doesn't matter. I ain't gettin' you pregnant," he said with a note of finality.

"Haymitch…"

"It's risky and dangerous, and I won't do it. There were already complications with the twins and a second pregnancy will – I'm not havin' this conversation anymore. Come back to bed."

" _All_ pregnancies are risky in their own way. We read that in the book but ours turned out alright despite everything. I gave birth to them safely."

"You gave birth early!" he thundered, losing his patience. "The twins were born premature, Effie. You could have lost Ethan in your womb. They had to cut you open and take him out. They were in intensive care for weeks. Maybe you don't remember but I do. I was the one with them in there alone for days while you were out of it from surgery. They had tubes all over them! You think I want to go through that again? You think I want to worry about you and if our child will survive being born early again?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and took deep calming breaths. Effie sat next to him and took his hand to rub them comfortingly between hers.

"You're not at the age to be getting pregnant without even more complications," he added. "We're not doing it. Don't tell me you want to look after two boys while pregnant? You're mad."

"But I have you. I can do it. You're just being difficult," she told him.

"You're being fucking stubborn," he retorted. "You're not listenin' to what I'm saying."

"Why don't you want another child? Talk to me, please. Don't shut me out."

"I'm not shutting you out," he frowned. "I told you, didn't I? Complications, risks."

"And I told you we can be very careful."

"That's not good enough for me."

Haymitch sighed and when he spoke, his voice lost its hard edge. "I don't want to lose you," he admitted because that was the only way to get her to understand. "I don't want to get married to you only to lose you to child birth, sweetheart. I _can't_. I'd rather…" he swallowed. Discussing feelings had never been his strongest suit. "I'd rather have you and the boys, and be happy with what I have. It's already more than I ask for."

The air around them shifted. He heard her let out a breath. Effie rested her palm against his cheek and turned his face towards her. She kissed him softly and gently, and he leaned it towards the kiss. _An apology_ , he figured.

Effie rested forehead against his chin as his hand came up to run his fingers through her hair.

"So you're not opposed to another child," she said after a while. "You're just opposed to me being pregnant."

He pulled back slightly to study her. "What are you saying?"

"You _know_ what I'm saying."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! Them finally talking about children. See, the angst isn't so bad, right? And I think they handled their different opinions quite well. Years ago, they probably would have been screaming at each other, now they've learnt to communicate.
> 
> So what do you think will happen? Leave a review!


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

The room began to have a blurry edge to it and he was vaguely aware of Effie watching him but she seemed distant, as if it was only him and the sharp awareness of what she meant that existed in the room.

Her touch on his arm brought him back and slowly, a memory surfaced to the top. He recalled a worried pout that managed to move him enough for him to give a gruff reassurance. He remembered Johanna's warning.

_Nobody's taking you away, monkey._

"Ari," he exhaled in realisation, pulling away from her. "You're talking 'bout her."

Effie nodded, a smile already forming. "Yes. It's a perfect solution, isn't it? I won't be pregnant – so you won't have anything to worry about - and she's a _girl._ Our boys know her and she knows them. She's - "

"She's someone else's child, Effs," he frowned. "We ain't takin' her away."

"We won't be taking her away, we will be taking her _in_ ," she countered easily enough. "Annie's been appointed as her interim legal guardian but all the efforts to get to her parents are futile, Haymitch. They abandoned that poor child - her parents are not good parents."

Haymitch clenched his jaws and then he sneered at her. "You'd know all about good parenting would you, just cause we got back custody of the boys ... Don't be so judgmental, sweetheart."

"Not once did we abandon our children, did we, Haymitch?" she bristled but when she spoke next, her voice was softer, and she tried to convince him by appealing to his logic. "When those people wanted to adopt Tristan and Ethan, I remembered you telling me about the law in Panem. If a parent loses custody, the child can be adopted without the parents' consent because without custody, the child wouldn't be anyone's child."

He loosened his hold on her hand and pulled it away to rub his face tiredly.

"I also happen to remember how angry you were at the thought that someone could just take _our_ children away without _our_ consent. Don't tell me you forgot 'bout that," he glared at her. "What now, sweetheart? Just 'cause _you_ want to adopt that law's now suddenly all fine? You're being hyprocrital, you realise that, yeah?

She blinked as if he had struck her, a flash of irritation fleeted across her face and she pursed her lips. Startled at his own words, Haymitch raised a hand, brushed his thumb over her cheekbone and kissed the corner of her mouth. He didn't apologise instead he told her as he saw it.

"It looks like it, sweetheart."

"That's not fair," Effie said in a quiet voice. "That's not fair, Haymitch, and you know it."

He made a noise deep in his throat, irritation and impatience rolling into one. Rising from the bed, he wandered out to the terrace, listening to the waves lapping gently against the shore. Effie wasn't far behind. She came to a stand next to him.

"Arianne's situation is nothing like Tristan or Ethan. It doesn't make _me_ a hypocrite. She was abandoned again and again by the people who should be there for her and raised her. It's not her fault that her parents were forced to conceive her under the law or risked being exiled," she paused for a breath. "We stopped the law, Haymitch, we overturned it and from the moment it was dissolved, we've been swept up by our own problems. We're not bad people for choosing to focus on our problems first. Except, we're in good place now and we shouldn't turn a blind eye to what the law left behind - children like Ari."

"We can't save them all."

"I know but she's right here with us," she touched his arm gently. "Her father is an addict who took off, leaving Ari and her mother behind, and they still haven't found him yet. He's been gone nearly most of her life - she has never had a father or known one - and isn't that grounds for him to lose custody without question. Where is her mother, Haymitch? She was nineteen when she got Ari and she left her once, came back into her life briefly and left Ari again a few months ago to be with her new boyfriend. Annie doesn't know if she's going to come back for Ari and if she does return, then that's good, but what if she takes off again?"

In the distance, Haymitch watched the seagulls took flight, soaring in skies above. Life was filled with irony, he thought, because seagulls were very protective of their young and yet, there were some of them who didn't think twice about leaving a child behind, and _they_ were supposed to be the intelligent ones.

"We can give Ari a better life."

"Effie…" he turned towards her.

Truthfully, Haymitch wasn't sure how to feel about it. Maybe they could give her a better life, maybe they couldn't. On the one hand, with them, Ari would have a better shot but out there...

"I know she's not ours. We didn't make her but - "

"It's not that," he waved that concern away. "I can... I can look past that but if we do this, we have to be responsible for her. It's a huge deal and I don't want you making decisions at the heat of the moment or worse, that you're only wanting this 'cause we've been spending' more time with her around lately."

"I'm not so fickle," she said dryly. " _We_ can do something good, Haymitch. We can give her something she never had. We can love her and raise her. We can give her a family and make her one of ours. She's just a child, an innocent, and she deserves all the love she can get. We can save a child."

Her words rang and struck something in him. Haymitch stood a little straighter, his jaws clenched just a little tighter before he ask with a frown, "Are you tryin' to atone for something?"

He had to know

"I - I don't know," she lifted her head to look at him, and he believed her. "Am I? Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"Yeah, seems like it, thought it might be about - " he shrugged but dropped it at the very last minute.

He wasn't so incline to talk about who they were before the war, before their children came along. Not at this moment, at least.

"If I am," her voice caught, uncertain now that Haymitch had given her something to think about, "Ari wouldn't be enough. For all that I had done, she alone wouldn't be enough for atonement. It's just that… I kept picturing her on her own in this world - no child should suffer a fate like that. She will grow up with the knowledge that her parents didn't want her and she will feel out place, never feeling like she belonged. It will break her and leave scars. No one should feel unwanted and alone. "

Haymitch pictured the girl as Effie saw her; a helpless girl with dark green eyes and messy hair who could have easily been lost in the system if Annie, sweet and gentle Annie, hadn't stepped in and protected her when she did. It came easily to him the image of a defenseless child, crying at the top of her lungs in the house for attention that was never given to her, a child who never knew her father and whose mother left only fleeting imprints in her life so much so that she barely remember the woman. It was dark where the girl had been and he knew from experience, nothing grew in the dark.

_We can give her a family and make her one of ours._

He didn't have to imagine this one. All he needed to do was pluck the growing memories in his mind; Tristan poking Ari's cheek to make her laugh, Ethan disturbing her but letting her have his pancakes, Effie kissing her when she fell asleep in her arms.

It wasn't just his family, it was the others, too. Felix, who, adored her. Johanna, who, had been the one to start calling her Ari. Prim, who, held her hand at their wedding. Annie, who, loved her just as much. Finn, who, despite not being used to sharing his mother's love still spent months playing with the girl and sharing a home with her. Ari had become a part of all of their lives whether they realized it or not.

Haymitch had lost his family once. He understood loneliness better than others but for the first sixteen years of his life, he had a mother who loved him, a brother to share things with and a father who made him toys out of woods whereas Ari… They were all she had ever known.

In a moment of weakness, there were times when he watched with envy at the other children with their parents and he begrudged them for it because back then, with Snow around, having a family was a suicide move. It was different now and having his own family left him so contented that he could never go back to that life before.

Alone, Ari would lead her life with a hole in her heart that would only grow wider and he wouldn't wish such loneliness and emptiness on anyone much less a child but still, Effie was asking for a lifetime of commitment, a promise to love and to cherish, and to be responsible for someone else's life.

 _Not so different than what you're already doing,_ a voice chimed in.

"I will think about it," he told her. "You're asking a lot, sweetheart."

"I know," she nodded, crossing the space between them to wrap her arms around his waist, her cheek pressed against his chest.

"Tell me," he tilted her chin up, "how long have you been thinking 'bout this?"

"A while… But I've been having dreams of a baby girl lately. I like those dreams. It's better than the nightmares which," she added quickly lest he started to worry, "doesn't come so often – the nightmares, not the dreams. Those dreams... They're beautiful."

His silvery grey eyes, bright under the moonlight bore into hers but he kept his silence, letting her talk.

"There are five of us, and we're so happy but I've learnt that dreams are just dreams, not all of them come true. Even if I could make this one real, my life is intertwined with yours so deeply and so intricately that whatever decisions we make, we have to make it _together_. If you don't share my dreams, I won't force you. I love you regardless and I'm - I'm very relieved that I told you about this. I've kept it to myself for a while now and it ate away at me."

XxX

The large bathtub in the bathroom paled in comparison to nature. It wasn't that he didn't try to get her in it the next morning but when it became clear to her what he wanted, she threw her head back and laughed, and led him out to the terrace. It wasn't half as fun as the ocean, she said, with the waves lazily splashing against them.

"Besides," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck," we can always have sex in the bathtub back home but when else will we get an opportunity to do it here?"

Seeing no flaw in her logic, Haymitch indulged her except it was still far too early in the morning and when they both emerged, he was shaking to his bones and so was she.

"Doesn't seem like a good idea now," she clung to him, seeking his warmth.

He could hear her teeth chattering as he wrapped a thick towel around her body. Haymitch was quick to usher her inside and dove right back under the warmth of the duvet where they spent the morning wrapped around each other.

The conversation from the night before was never far from his mind. Effie must have known it, too, from the way she coaxed a kiss out of him.

"I'm sorry," she murmured against his skin. "I wanted you to enjoy this vacation but I did the opposite, didn't I?"

"Nothin' to be sorry 'bout," he pressed her against him. "You tell me your dreams, your fears, your … hope. That's what this is about, yeah? Bein' married? What's the point of it if you can't share? We'd be _strangers_. I don't want that - might as well be alone."

She seemed surprised by it. So was he, if he was honest, but it wasn't just empty words. He wanted to know his wife; the things that would make her happy and the things that would make her scared. He didn't want her to be afraid of telling him things.

"I love you," she kissed the spot below his earlobe and settled snugly against him.

"I know. We should get – "

The phone in the suite rang loudly and his gaze cut to the clock. _10.00 a.m._

"Tristan," Effie guessed. "He's always punctual."

Haymitch grabbed it off its hook "Yeah?"

"Dada? G'morning!"

Haymitch covered the receiver and grinned at Effie. _Wrong_ , he mouthed, _Ethan._

"When are you coming? We're all ready to go swimmin' but we're waiting for you and mama. Can you hurry? Or can we go first, Dada, please?"

"Don't be so impatient. We're coming," he chuckled. "Fifteen minutes, alright? In the meantime, have your breakfast."

"Already did! Hurry, _please._ "

The children were ecstatic the moment Effie and Haymitch arrived at Annie's house. The group left for the beach with the kids chattering and laughing loudly. After all that 'swimming' that he did with Effie for two mornings in a row, he had his fill and opted out.

"There better not be a fight," he warned the boys as they shed their clothes. "I'll be watching."

"We won't fight," Tristan said.

"We promise," Ethan added.

Annie had laid out a mat and so Haymitch sat on the beach as he kept an eye on the children with Annie by his side.

Effie wasted no time in teaching her sons how to swim, aided by Finn and Felix, who exclaimed quite loudly, much to everyone's amusement that it wasn't the same to swim in the sea compared to the pool back home.

Ethan was quick to grasp and soon, he was floating on his back. The boy couldn't be happier and Haymitch was proud. He even ventured down, soaked his feet in the water for a while to watch and gave a thumb's up when Ethan showed off his new skill to him.

"Dada," Ari tugged on his pants, pointing to the sandcastle she built with Johanna, who, until now, still refused to be anywhere near water unless she had to shower. "Mine."

"Good job, monkey," he ruffled her hair.

He only had his back turned for a split second when Effie screamed at Ethan. He spun around to see Ethan holding Tristan's head under water. Haymitch pushed Effie aside and scooped the terrified boy out of the water, glaring daggers at Ethan.

"You _promised_ you wouldn't fight," Haymitch spat.

"I wasn't - I was just playing!"

"You could have killed him!" Effie shook him roughly.

"I'm sorry!"

By now, Tristan was in tears and holding dearly to Haymitch, his face buried in father's neck. "I don't wanna – I don't wanna swim anymore," he sobbed.

"Okay," Haymitch rubbed his back. "You'll just stay with me and Annie, alright? Or you can play with Ari and Jo."

"We should break for lunch," Katniss said.

"Yes, excellent. I've prepared us lunch. Everybody needs to settle down and calm down," Peeta added. "Come on, kids. Get out of the water. We'll continue after."

Lunch was another episode of madness in itself. Tristan was clinging to Haymitch's back while Ethan kept shooting him looks. Effie nudged the boy and he stood in front of Haymitch and Tristan, staring his toes guiltily.

"I'm sorry, Tristan. I won't do it again."

Tristan frowned until Haymitch tapped his hand. "Your brother apologized. Are you just gonna ignore it?"

"You promise you won't?"

"I won't!" Ethan held out his pinky.

Tristan curled his own around Ethan's finger and they were both smiling at each other again, the incident forgotten. They sat next to each other with a plate of sandwiches in front of them. Annie was helping Finn pick out his tomatoes from the sandwich which left Effie to feed Ari.

"She told you," Haymitch said when Johanna sat next to him.

"Who told me what? You think I can read minds?"

"Effie… She talked to you about wanting a … A baby."

Johanna was about to take a bite of her food when she paused. "Finally told you about that, did she?" she chuckled. "She didn't tell me. I figured it out. Look," she jerked her chin at Effie and Ari.

"Didn't know you were perceptive," Haymitch snorted.

"So?" she pressed. "You gonna have another or what?"

"She can't, Jo. I won't put her through another pregnancy. She ain't young anymore and at her age… I won't risk it."

"Fair enough," she shrugged and went back to her food, thinking the conversation was over.

"She wants to adopt her," he said, looking at his wife and the child in question.

"And, I'm guessing, you don't want it."

"I – I didn't tell her no," he admitted. "I haven't given her an answer."

"You better think about it properly. It's not like adopting a fucking puppy," Johanna swallowed her food. "You gotta remember that she ain't yours and if you take her in, you can't see her that way and you can't… You can't love the boys more than her cause she ain't your blood. You have to treat her the same."

"Why do you and Effie think that _that_ 's what the problem is? It's not."

"Just making sure you're clear on that 'cause if you take her in and I find out that's what's happening, I'll come for you myself."

"I'll bear that in mind. You care for her."

It was a statement, one that Johanna didn't dispute. She merely shrugged and went back to finishing her food.

"Adults are afraid of me, the kids… They don't. And they ain't half as annoying as other people. They don't judge me."

XxX

Once lunch was over, Ethan, Finn and Prim wanted to continue swimming though Effie was already fretting about the fact that Ethan had turned a shade darker.

"Let him," Haymitch said. "It's about having fun, right? Let him enjoy himself."

Johanna was sleeping on her stomach which was telling. To have her back exposed like that while she was unarmed spoke volumes about the level of trust she had in them. Felix was reading to Tristan under the shade. Haymitch could hear the rise and fall of his voice as he pretended to be the different characters, adopting different voices.

Ari was sitting by herself at the edge of the mat, digging through the sand. She had been at it for the past fifteen minutes, focused on her task, being quiet and not disturbing anyone.

"Ari," Haymitch called out.

With the twins, despite their argument, they were always together, so he wasn't used to seeing a child playing alone. She looked up with droopy eyelids and slacked face.

"Oh, she's sleepy. It's nap time, Ari," Annie beckoned her over.

She ambled towards them, rubbing her eyes tiredly, and sat in between Annie and Haymitch.

"Why don't you take her?"

Haymitch narrowed his eyes at her. Annie merely smiled back and he believed that unlike Johanna, she knew nothing. She was weaving nets so that was probably why. He rubbed the back of his neck and he could feel Annie watching him so he extended his hand and drew Ari on to his lap. The girl settled against him like it was second nature.

"We've grown, haven't we?" Annie asked out of the blue. Her fingers moved fast, creating something out of nothing.

"Hmm?"

"Our family," she gestured at the whole lot of them. "We've grown in numbers."

"Yeah," he nodded because it was the truth. "Yeah, we have."

"I am proud of us for doing the best we can with the life that was given to us. At night, before I go to sleep, I think of Finnick every day and, I'd like to think that if he could see us now, he would be proud. Very proud."

The sharp pain he usually felt each time someone brought up the names of the people he lost including Finnick, was gone. Only a dull ache remained. He missed Finnick, not as much as Annie, but he missed him all the same. He could see glimpses of Finnick in Finn's grin and hear his laugh in Finn's laugh, and he supposed, that should be enough.

"Finnick will find that hilarious," Haymitch pointed where Katniss was teaching Peeta the backstrokes.

Annie's quiet laughter lifted the mood up again. Together, they watched Peeta and Katniss, until they both decided to move on from the lessons and engaged in something else. Peeta had Prim on his shoulder while Katniss had Ethan on hers.

They were having some sort of wrestling game. The two kids were pulling and pushing on each other, trying to make the other fall. Their shouts drew Tristan's attention.

"Oh, do be careful!" Effie said fretfully from the sidelines.

Finn was egging them on. "Pull harder, Prim!"

Prim pulled hard and Ethan toppled with Katniss, splashing loudly in the water. He emerged, shaking his hair out of his eyes, and laughing with glee.

"Again!" he said and they swapped with Peeta taking him on this time.

"What kind of game is that?" Felix squinted. "It's such an odd game."

"A harmless one as opposed to..." Haymitch trailed off.

There was no need for him to say it out loud because both Annie and Felix knew what he was referring to.

Whatever oddity they had - there were plenty because there were still things Felix and Effie did that they raised their eyebrows to and there were district practices that Felix and Effie found strange - Haymitch wouldn't trade it for anything else.

Every family had their quirks and this was his, and he would take them as they come. He would take the flaws, the cracks and their baggage. He lost so much but he gained them too.

His eyes fell on Ari, sleeping soundly in his arms and completely oblivious to the world. He felt omnipotent all of sudden and that feeling did not sit well with him. Haymitch became very aware that if he wanted, he could change this girl's life; he could change his family's life. Most importantly, he realized with a jolt, that _he_ could make Effie happy and he could make a dream she only thought was a dream into something more. Her happiness was important to him, so much more important than his own.

He ran the back of his finger across her smooth cheek. Ari stirred but didn't wake up. She burrowed into him, her fingers closing around his shirt.

 _So young and so trusting_ , he thought.

He raised his head to see Annie looking at him.

"She's family, too."

Because, maybe, what Effie was asking for wasn't so outrageous. Five would be a crowd, but his house was big enough for a family of five.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the story is coming to a close, I wrote a long chapter for you. Next week, you'll get an epilogue :) There were a lot of discussions, a lot of talks (with Effie, Johanna and Annie) in this chapters so tell me what you think. I wanted Haymitch interacting/connecting with each characters in some ways and in it, how far they've all come, especially in terms of how much Haymitch stopped thinking about himself and placed Effie's happiness above his. I hope i got that right.
> 
> This is probably the last time you'll read a toddler Tristan and Ethan. I hope you miss them, they're my babies. Leave a review!


	35. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ready? This is the end.

 

**Epilogue**

**_ Tristan _ **

He was young but he remembered the day his parents sat him and his brother down to ask them a question that would drastically affect their lives. Would he like another sibling, a _sister?_

His first thought was having someone like Prim and Ari around. He had smiled then and nodded his head, and he had asked them where they were going to buy a sister. He remembered mama's laughter and dad's amused look, and he recalled mama saying, "in a few years, you'll have to explain to him about _that._ "

He loved Ethan with all of his heart. Ethan was his other half. Ethan completed him and understood him. Ethan was his first best friend and one that would remain so for the rest of his life. But Ethan was difficult, too, and at six years old, Tristan thought having a girl around would be easier to deal with than his brother.

He was right and he was wrong. Ethan and Ari were very different, each with their own personalities. Still, he loved them both just as much which made the unsettling feeling at the pit of his stomach grew even worse because they were both waiting on him to agree on something that didn't sit right with him and he had kept pushing it away.

 _There's still time_ , he rationalised. Ari would only be home tomorrow.

"Have you talked to her at least?" Mama asked, breaking through his thoughts.

"Yeah," he nodded. "She's doing okay."

"Are you sure?"

He tossed her a deadpanned expression. " _Yes,_ I am sure."

"I'm worried is all," his mother fretted. "They're girls, both of them! Anything can happen."

"Nothing is going to happen," Tristan rolled his eyes, only because he knew his mother wouldn't see him doing it. "Aunt Jo will cut anyone down to the quick, you know that, and Uncle Felix is with them, too."

"I should never have said yes. _Your_ father convinced me to let her go. This is all his fault."

"I'm sure," Tristan nodded.

"They should have brought one of you along!"

Tristan grinned and craned his neck to look at his mother sitting behind him on the sofa. "I'm flattered you have so much faith in your boys."

Tristan, Ethan and Prim had graduated recently. While Tristan looked forward to finally being able to sit down and work on his book, Ethan had already planned to fill his time at the hospital volunteering at the children's ward while Prim had planned on escaping - her words, not his - travelling by herself without her parents, that was the condition she told Uncle Peeta and Aunt Katniss.

Prim roped Aunt Jo, Uncle Felix and Ari who was on a school vacation, and they had been travelling around the country for two weeks which meant two long weeks of mama worrying day in and day out.

"I do," Mama nodded. "She's still a baby."

"She's fifteen," he pointed out, stretching out on the sofa and fiddling with the tablet in his hand.

"Still a baby to me. So are you and Ethan as a matter of fact. Fifteen or eighteen, you are all still my children and it is my job to worry."

"Because I love you, mama, so I feel obliged to tell you that the more you worry, the more wrinkles you'll have," Tristan's eyes twinkled as he dropped a kiss to mama's cheek.

Tristan could hear his father in the backyard. He had been living in this house since he was only days old so he knew that with the windows open, their conversation would carry which meant his father had probably heard everything but was wisely staying out of it.

"Haven't you got anythin' to say to mama saying that this is all your fault?" Tristan raised his voice slightly, addressing that question to his father.

"She knows she's being overdramatic so don't you listen to her. As long as she's got an audience, she won't stop talking," Haymitch replied.

Effie huffed.

"Come on in, dad," Tristan called out in between chuckles. "Ari sent a photo. She's in Ten. That's the last district before she comes home tomorrow."

The door creaked open as Haymitch entered. "Get Ethan to oil the door when he's home," he ordered, wordlessly accepting the reading glasses Effie handed to him without being asked.

"I can probably do it," Tristan said.

"The last time you tried to fix your bed, it broke in half," Haymitch pointed out.

Tristan flushed, his ears turning red. "You said you wouldn't bring that up again."

"Can't," Haymitch laughed. He took the tablet from Tristan and held it an arm's length away, studying it.

"That's an odd photo," Effie commented, standing next to her husband. "Why can't children nowadays take a proper photo?"

"The question you should be askin' is why these children can't just mail us those damn photos. I can hang it up in the room with all the others," Haymitch complained.

The nursery that was once his and Ethan's room as a child had been turned into something else. Ethan jokingly named it the Memory Room because it really did felt as if they had been thrown back into years' worth of memories whenever they entered.

Haymitch had strung up blue strings on the wall and hung photos of their family on it, mostly photos of him, Ethan and Ari as they grow.

Tristan made a noise at the back of his throat as he listened in to his parents.

"You both are _so_ old," he sighed in exasperation. "I'll print this for you and you can hang it."

"It's an odd photo," Effie repeated. "What is it called again?"

"A selfie, Mama. She took a selfie with a cow. She's got a caption – a message - on it actually. I'll read out, okay? _She who milks a cow…_ That's horrible - what's that even mean," Tristan commented. "She can't even finish her sentence! Here," he reached out and turned the camera on, "take a photo, the both of you, so I can send it to her. She asked for it, said she misses you both."

"You take it for us. This makes our faces look big," Effie tried to hand the tablet over.

"Nope," Tristan crossed his arms. "You're taking your first selfie. I want to be able to tell Ethan and Ari that I got you to take your first selfie. Bragging rights," he winked. "Just hold your hand out like that, mama, yeah and keep it steady and now - wait, dad, stand closer to her. Put your face next to or … yeah, that works too," he snickered when Effie turned her face sideways, her nose pressing lightly against Haymitch's cheek. "Don't forget to smile, especially you, dad. Excellent! Now, press that button and, there you go, you're all good."

He took the device from them, looked down at the photo and laughed quietly to himself before letting them see it.

"Print that out for me, too, darling," Effie requested, looking strangely pleased by it. "I want to have it next to our bed."

"Sure. I'll send this to Ari first and then - oh, she's sent me another message."

"What did she say?" Haymitch asked, peering over his shoulder but Tristan had already angled his body away so that the glare from the sun would darken the screen and prevent his father from seeing anything.

**_"T, have you thought about it? It's about us. Shouldn't we know? Mama and daddy would understand if we explain it to them."_ **

"No idea," Tristan shrugged, lying effortlessly. "Her message didn't get through to me."

He pushed the disturbing feeling aside as he went about setting everything up to print the two pictures and gave them over to Haymitch.

Tristan leaned against the doorway of his old nursery, watching his father add two more photographs to his collection.

"You're going to need a bigger room _or_ we take down some of the old photos," Tristan said. "I've always wondered, dad, why do you hang them up?"

"When you and your brother were still in your mother's womb, peanut, I hung up the sonograms," he pointed out to the corner of the room where four of the sonograms still hang, yellowed by age, "to remind myself that I was going to be a father, that you are mine and I have something to call my own. Your mother gave those sonograms to me. I still remember that day."

Tristan smiled. "And now?"

"Now… I do it to remind myself of what I have and like what I always told you, kid, you don't let the fear get to you. You do that, it'll destroy everything."

"What were you afraid of?" Tristan asked, curious.

"That I'd make a shitty father - what do you think?" Haymitch scoffed. What Tristan didn't hear was the fear Haymitch had of losing his family because it happened once and for years, he was always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Tristan stepped into the room, coming to a stand next to his father. He glanced at him. Haymitch was looking at a photograph of a young Tristan clinging to his back with Ethan sitting on his lap. He ran a finger over the photograph and over his mother's handwriting – _Haymitch and his two boys (7 years old)._

"Dad, were you afraid that you'd be a horrible father because of who you were in the past? Because you shouldn't worry. Ethan and I think the world of you. Ari, too," Tristan assured him. "If there's anyone I want to be like, it's you."

After a long pause, his father gave a nod, acknowledging the praise but he was never one to talk much so he merely squeezed Tristan's shoulder and walked out.

**_ Ari _ **

Ari missed home a lot. As with all other teenagers, not having her parents around granted her a certain kind freedom. Aunt Johanna gave her the first taste of beer during the trip. Ari had wrinkled her nose and swallowed her drink. Prim had laughed and so did Uncle Felix. It had been fun but she missed home terribly.

She missed sitting curled next to dad listening to him lecturing Ethan. She missed two pancakes Sunday with her family due to the trip so she was looking forward to making pancakes with mama, and purposely ruining Ethan's breakfast. Ethan love his pancakes and had gotten so mad that one time when she and Tristan added too much salt on purpose on his serving.

Ari hopped off the train. Her face lighted up at the sight of her family waiting for her at the platform. Dropping her bag, Ari ran towards them and enveloped her father in a bear hug. He grumbled, just as she knew he would, but he returned her embrace. Haymitch love her hugs even if he won't admit it.

"Daddy!" she squeezed him. "Did you miss me?"

Ari didn't wait for an answer. She released him and went to mama, pulling her into a similar bone crushing hug.

"Careful, monkey," Haymitch placed a gentle hand on the small of his daughter's back. "You're going to choke your mother."

"You missed me," Effie stated. "And here, I thought I wasn't _cool_ enough to join you for your trip."

Effie sniffed even as she peppered her daughter with kisses.

"You'll never be as cool as Aunt Jo but that doesn't mean I don't miss you. Of course I miss you!" Ari grinned.

"Did you eat properly? I hope Johanna doesn't think junk food makes for a proper meal," Effie question. "Who painted your nails?"

"Uncle Felix did!"

"That's my job," Effie frowned.

"Mama's all jealous," Tristan teased.

"Did you have a good time?" Haymitch asked before Effie could find something else to be upset about.

Ari looped her arm around his father's as they walked home, chattering excitedly about all the things she saw and experienced. Haymitch listened without interruption and Effie nodded at all the right places.

"Oh, and yesterday, we reached Ten. I milked a cow. Did you get the photo I send?"

"Tristan showed it to us," Haymitch nodded.

"So you touched its _breast_ , huh?" Ethan asked.

"It's called an udder, Ethan, honestly," Ari rolled her eyes and Ethan laughed. "Anyway, I brought home the milk! Something for the effort, you know? In Three, Uncle Beetee showed me all the cool things. He even fixed my tablet so the battery will last longer. He sent his regards to you and mama, and said you should visit."

"And in Four?"

The question was asked very casually, as if Ethan was really interested in her vacation but she knew his brother and he was digging for something deeper.

Ari paused.

Haymitch and Effie were waiting for her to continue the story. Tristan was frowning and staring but both him and Ethan seemed to be having that silent conversation between themselves that always made her feel left out because they understood each other in a way she didn't.

"I spent most of the time at the beach. I… I dug in the sand," Ari began slowly.

Tristan cocked his head while Ethan's interest was piqued. He looked at her expectantly.

"With Finn, mostly, cause Prim didn't want to join. We didn't find much. So we dove for seashells at the bottom of the sea when the conditions were favourable because that's where they're _from_ ," she stressed the word and was relieved to know that her brothers understood, "and we found a pearl. I gave it to Prim."

_I found something from the district where I was born and whatever I found is with Prim for safekeeping._

Ethan's eyes had already strayed towards Prim who was walking home with her parents and brother. Sensing his gaze, Prim turned around. He arched an eyebrow and she gave him a curt nod.

"A pearl?" her mother asked. "Peeta gave Katniss a pearl before, didn't he?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded and then he chuckled. "Did you know, monkey, if you put enough pressure on coals, it turns to pearl?"

"What?" Ari crinkled her brows in confusion. "No, it doesn't."

"Tell your mother that. That was what she told your Uncle Peeta and Aunt Katniss years ago."

It made Ari laughed and just as she was doing with her father, she looped her arms around her mother, the three of them forming a human chain.

That night, with both her brothers out of the house to hang out with their friends (they refused to take her along), Ari squeezed in between her parents on the sofa. Haymitch grunted but scooted to his left to make space.

"Let me paint your nails, Mama?" Ari asked. "I think it's time for some fresh colour."

Effie was more than happy to oblige her daughter.

"You want to help me fix the geese pen tomorrow?"

"Isn't that something you always do with Ethan?" Ari raised her head. "He never let me or Tristan do it with you. He said it's his thing."

"He's gonna be at the hospital tomorrow. So now's your chance, monkey, you want or not?"

"Yes," Ari beamed.

The house was quiet. The only sound was her parents breathing next to her and the soft music playing in the background. Nights like these were the best. Sitting on the sofa and doing mindless things with her parents had always been her favourite activity.

Her parents meant everything to her and she was so very glad for them. Even though she had recently turned fifteen, she would still visit them in their bedroom before going to bed to kiss them goodnight with a promise that she would see them tomorrow. When she was a child, she did it because somehow, she had this unexplainable fear that she might not see them again when she wake up but now, she did it out of habit and because it felt right.

The sound of her creeping down the hallway to their room was something everyone in the house was used to and that night, when mama opened the door for her, she saw her father sitting on the bed against the headboard, waiting for her.

"Goodnight, daddy," she whispered and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?

**_ Ethan _ **

There were habits from his childhood that he couldn't seem to kick off and one of them was plucking flowers from the streets to bring home.

"For you," he handed Ari a yellow dandelion, "and this one's for you, mama."

"Thank you," they both smiled up at him.

Effie pressed a kiss to his cheek. Ari had already handed the flower to Haymitch who tucked it behind her ear.

Dropping his clown mask on the coffee table and while still in his costume, Ethan flopped down on the sofa, pushing Ari out of it.

That was another thing from his childhood that he brought over to his youth. He never did join the circus but his dream of becoming a clown still came to fruition when he put on the costume while volunteering at the children's ward. He loved making the children smile. When he wasn't clowning around, like his dad was so fond of saying, he was interning at the research department at the hospital.

"How are the children at the hospital?" Effie asked.

"Luna was discharged today," Ethan told her. "So that's good. I might go back again tonight with my telescope before visiting hours end. I told them I'll teach them about the stars."

"Ethan, I told you to fix the door," Tristan walked in barking orders. He took a seat next to Ethan who tried to pry the notepad in his hand from his grip.

"Let me read the plot," Ethan tugged. "Or is it a poem for your girl?"

"I don't have a girl. Stop being annoying - fix the door. I told you to do that last week."

"Why?" Ethan asked. "Think 'bout it. If someone's going to rob us, we'll know. The creaking will wake the entire house and besides, Ari won't be able to sneak out at night. If I don't fix the door, it's for the good of the family."

"That's such bullshit," Ari called him out.

"Language," Effie chided her. "Did you pick that up from your Aunt Johanna?"

"Mama, she's _fifteen_ ," Ethan told her just as Tristan had a few days before. "Trust me, she's said a lot worse than 'bullshit'. She just doesn't say it often in front of you."

"Young lady…"

"I swear I don't go around cursing," Ari added hastily. "And I've never sneaked out either!"

"You better not," Haymitch warned. "Cause if I find out… And oil the door, tiger."

Ethan snickered. He jostled Ari lightly when she gave him an annoyed look but out of the corner of his eyes, Ethan saw Tristan leaning sideways over the armrest. He saw Tristan reached out for his bag as his fingers parted it open slightly to peer inside. The files were there. Their birth records, the newspaper clippings and articles on Ari.

Ethan had been carrying it around with him for weeks now, never leaving them unattended at home in case his parents might stumble on it.

The three of them – him, Tristan and Ari – had argued extensively over it, and they still couldn't come to a consensus if they should bring it up. He was driven by a strong desire to seek knowledge and a part of him wanted to know so desperately but there was another part of him that agreed with Tristan. It might not matter at all. They were here and they were all happy.

_What would Dad do?_

He pondered the question. Whenever he was in doubt, he would try to think the way his father would. People often said that he was exactly like his father, and it made him proud each time.

"You look deep in thought," Effie touched his arm lightly.

Ethan blinked and looked around. Tristan and Ari were gone from the living room, and he could hear them upstairs in their own room. His father was calling out for Dasher, no doubt trying to get the goose back in its pen before nightfall.

It was only him and mama left.

Ethan made use of the space on the sofa to stretch out and rest his head on his mother's lap.

"Tell me again, how did you two meet?"

He had heard this story multiple times but he was never bored of it, and his mother was never bored of repeating it to him.

"Again? Well, we were colleagues, your father and I," Effie began. "The first time he ever saw me, he said I looked like a clown. He was drunk…"

Ethan closed his eyes as Effie began to run her fingers through his hair like she would with his father.

As he grew older, he peeled off another layer to the story. When he was seven, the story was simple; colleagues, friends, lovers. When he was ten, his parents were colleagues who didn't quite like each other, turned friends and fell in love. When he was twelve, he learnt that it was a little more complicated than them just falling in love. At thirteen, his father told him he was a drunk so that fact made it to his mother's story later on. The year after, he learnt that his parents were on opposite end of the social spectrum, she was an escort from a rich city and him a victor from a starving village.

"But you still fell in love?"

"We did," his mother had said. "Or we wouldn't be where we are today."

His parents certainly found it peculiar the fact Tristan was the one who loved stories since he was a toddler but it was him who was so interested in _their_ story. There was so much to _learn_ about his parents from the stories and Ethan enjoyed discovering new things.

So it continued as he turned sixteen, seventeen and now he was eighteen.

"… we fell in love." He didn't have to open his eyes to know that his mother was smiling as she said that. She always had a smile when it came to that part of the story. "We had the toasting right here by that fireplace. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. We had you and your brother after, and then Ari came along."

Eighteen years, and for the first time since he heard the story, he began to question if the order had been reshuffled.

Ethan said nothing, filing that away for later. Instead, he concentrated on his breathing and the sound of his mother's voice, soothing his nerves and lulling him into a state of relaxation.

"You and Tristan saved us," she whispered like she always would at the very, very end of the story when she thought he was asleep.

He always found _that_ a little bit odd. Tristan thought it made a good ending for a story, and that Mama might have added that to make them feel important.

Whatever the case may be, now, he was more than happy to just go to sleep with his mother's fingers running through his hair, Ari singing in her room, Tristan pacing in his as his mind weave words to form poems, the sound of Dasher honking outside and his father cursing because the goose was as stubborn as the boy who raised it.

"Love you, mama," he mumbled.

She dropped a kiss to his forehead, "I love you too, darling."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering how that selfie that they send to Ari looks like, it's based on the selfie EBanks took with Woody Harrelson at the MJ Premiere and posted it on her twitter.
> 
> Now, to my message for you :) I have never written an epilogue this long but I wanted it to be in each of hayffie's kids' point of view. I wanted you as a reader to see their relationship with their parents now. If you think the siblings are conspiring about something, you are right. The Abernathy family is happy. They have each other, the love each other deeply. Haymitch and Effie deserve these children that they have after everything.
> 
> I get some questions if I'm going to do any continuation with this universe. I have the intention of writing the twins finding out about the marriage law (so if you haven't figure it out, that was what they were all conspiring about) and how their family cope with it but right now, there's no real plan for it. As it stands, I think this is a good ending as any.
> 
> I really, really want to thank everyone who followed and read all 109 chapters of Consortium & Divortium, and stick with me through all that. Thank you so much for your reviews and your support.
> 
> And now, one last time, please leave a review for me. Tell me if you like the epilogue; tell me what you think of teenage Ethan, Tristan and Ari; tell me your favourite moments from the two stories; tell me anything. I was so emotional writing this because I spent two & half years of my life on this and it has become a part of me. The hayffie in this marriage law universe + the twins have become a part of me so I would love to hear your thoughts. I'd love to be able to go back and read your reviews in the future.
> 
> Once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!


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